I am not going to lie. Being here in Yellowknife and being a stay at home mother drove me mad, unhappy, jealous, envious, depressed --- just plain ugly. Almost everyday, I woke up feeling sluggish, uninterested to what the day would bring because I knew how boring it would be anyway. So, I would go to the computer, open my mailbox, and see what the good people of Oprah.com have sent me to read for the day. The subject reads: 15 Things to be Grateful for Right Now. And so, I thought, "Now this I have got to read."

When I clicked on the email, my eyes were caught on these words: Simple Ways to Practice Gratitude Everyday. So I clicked on that and then my eyes were brought to these words: The Power of Gratitude: It's About What You Have, Not What You're Going to Get. So I read, scrolled down, browse, skimmed through words.

And then my eyes were here. Not only my eyes, but my mind was too. "Gratitude is the single most important ingredient to living a successful and fulfilled life." And so I thought, "It's about what I have, and what I have should make me feel successful and fulfilled in life." But it was hard not to think of the things I want, or of the fun things I used to do, or of the people I used to see. It was hard not to think of the financial freedom I used to have when I was still working. Those things, the life I used to have made me feel that I was successful, that I was fulfilled. And this life I have now, I don't feel it.

But I continued reading. I had to feed my hunger for inspirational words that day. I had to know the simple ways to practice gratitude everyday. And as soon as I read, "Write cards or e-mails expressing your gratitude for others: genuine, specific and personal" I immediately clicked on my outlook icon and sent this email without finishing the whole article.

________________________________________________________________

From: January Go
To: Rania, Rishi, Kathleen
Date: 08/03/2011 1:09 PM
Subject: You are getting this email because...


Hello, hello...

So you are getting this email because I am doing "The Simple Ways To Practice Gratitude Every Day" (and because I am Oprah's disciple) and one way is to send an email: "genuine, specific, and personal" she says.

Yes, I am grateful for you... the three of you and your families and your love ones.

And I am a little smile happier today than yesterday. I hope you are always a bigger smile happier than yesterday.

January ^_^


And within minutes, I received these:

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From: Rania
Date: August 3, 2011 1:20:24 PM MDT
To: January Go
Subject: Re: You are getting this email because...

You are so cute and you made me smile so I am genuinely grateful that you sent me this email.
________________________________
From: Rishi
Date: August 3, 2011 1:14:05 PM MDT
To: January Go
Subject: Re: You are getting this email because...

I too am grateful for you and your family and your loved ones.

I too am a little smile happier today than yesterday. I hope you are always a bigger smile happier than yesterday.

just to add to that...you can say this and have your kids, loved ones say this too everyday..."Everyday in Every Way, I'm getting better and better."

Luv Ya Jan! : )
________________________________
From: Kathleen
Date: August 3, 2011 1:12:49 PM MDT
To: January Go
Subject: Re: You are getting this email because...

Oh, you and Oprah.
Love you too January
________________________________
And so needless to say, that made me happy. Words can do that to me. And so I gave my boys a group hug and continued on with my day. And yes, with a slightly but a lot bigger smile than before.