Recently, I attended a presentation sponsored by Rainbow Routes, the local non-profit organization that oversees the train system in my town. They were hosting Adam Shoalts, a historian and adventurer who has taken numerous trips across the Canadian Arctic.    His presentation, promoting his newest book, was both insightful and humorous. One thing he constantly referenced was his gratitude for small things.

We can all use a reminder to find gratitude in our lives. Adam Shoalts would joke that it was frigid, and his socks were constantly damp (Ugh!), but hey, at least the bears hadn’t eaten his food overnight. (Yay!)  Similarly, a dull, frustrating day could be highlighted by seeing a bald eagle or moose in the distance – what a privilege!

Most of us won’t be trekking in the far north, but we all have times when life is heavy. In those times, find something -however small – to cling on to. It may not make wet socks any less uncomfortable, but maybe your pack will seem a tiny bit lighter.