Celebrations and timing

I've been thinking a lot about celebrations lately. It's important to take the time to celebrate important things, both personally and globally. Yay! You did it! Yay! We did it! You know what I mean.

I have my personal calendar of celebrations, as we all do. I write about some of them here, when it seems fitting. One of my big celebration dates was yesterday, but it wasn't appropriate to write about in the midst of all the fear and celebration happening in Boston related to the Marathon bombing. But I still thought and smiled about it.

Celebration and gratitude are closely related. One reinforces the other. If I feel grateful for something, when I celebrate it I pour more energy into it and strengthen its role in my life and then world. Celebration is a kind of deliberate, public expression of gratitude. It's a way of saying my glass is at least half-full and I want to share. Have a sip!

I don't think I celebrate enough, though I often express gratitude. I think many of us overlook celebration.

This led me to thinking about the things we might celebrate every day, in tiny ways, regardless of the timing. Little parades, tiny hip-hip-hoorahs. I thought I might share a few of mine with you.

So, today I am cheering for:

• 19 years cancer-free as of yesterday
• those whom I have loved
• those who love me
• health
• kindness small and large

I'd love to know what you might be in the mood to celebrate. Even if that celebration is just a thought, a smile and tiny cheer.

(c)2013 Laura S. Packer