Sometimes gratitude in everyday life shows itself in the simplest of moments – a cold swim, the warmth of a fire, or a conversation that touches something deep inside. This weekend was filled with just that: chill, warmth, and quiet reminders of what truly matters.
I went for a swim today – cold, refreshing, and absolutely wonderful. The water temperature has started to drop, and the body quickly turns numb, so you can’t stay long. Yet that makes it even more beautiful. A deep calm spreads through every cell, and thoughts arrive one by one.
The warmth that comes afterward is indescribable – as is the feeling that I did it. Even though I do this often, every swim feels like a small victory. A moment that belongs only to me, for my own sake. It’s here that I often find gratitude in everyday life – in the stillness, in the water, in the present moment.
An Evening with the Young Ones and the Warmth of the Fire
Yesterday our boy from Gothenburg came home with his girlfriend. We had dinner together and spent the evening talking in the living room. She had some back pain and asked if I had a TENS device – which I did. She lay on the floor with the electrodes connected, receiving that little electric massage, and I lent her my heating belt as well. I don’t know if the pain eased, but at least the moment changed how her body felt.
Later that night, I lit a fire in the basement. We laid out mattresses and made a bed down there so they could fall asleep to the crackling of the flames. It’s such a soothing sound, that fire.
There’s so much gratitude in everyday life in those little moments – when people meet, share time, and warmth.
After today’s swim, the young ones got ready, and we went to church. For a long time, we’ve had an incredible priest and parish leader here in our community. Today was his farewell service before moving on to new assignments.
It felt like a quiet sadness in my heart, knowing he won’t be there for our school graduations or midnight masses at Christmas anymore. I’m not someone who goes to church often, but this priest has been something truly special.
Applause and gratitude filled the church – a living reminder of how deeply he has touched the hearts of many.
A Message About Humanity and Responsibility
His sermon today touched me deeply. He spoke about the state of the world, our country, and then about our own small village. When he got to that part, my eyes filled with tears.
He spoke of elderly people confined to their homes or lower floors, or couples forced apart because the municipality doesn’t offer joint housing for them. The thought hurt. If my husband and I grow old and struggle to manage on our own – should we then be separated?
His words reminded me of how, back in 2006, we spoke of compassion and understanding, while now we speak of punishment and blame – as if everything is “their fault.” But really, it’s about responsibility, empathy, and love. We must once again become we, not us and them. Division doesn’t nourish anyone – not us, not the world.
Our priest loves knitting, and since his new workplace will be a bit farther away, a kind soul gifted him yarn – so he can keep creating during his journeys to and from work.
When Words Reach an Entire Village
He also spoke about dictators, even mentioning Trump – and I could only agree. I may not be religious, but I’m grateful I went to church today for his last sermon. It gave so much. It was also heartwarming to see how many people came to thank him – from local politicians and staff to young people who’ve listened to his school speeches over the years.
A representative from the municipality thanked the priest for his dedication and presence in the community – a meeting filled with warmth and mutual respect. He also expressed gratitude that this farewell was one of life and presence. Usually, farewells in church are linked to final goodbyes, but this time it was a heartfelt thank you and see you again.
Gratitude in Everyday Life – In Every Moment
In all of this, in all the words, gratitude in everyday life finds its home. Gratitude for each moment, for the different shades of the day, and for our boy who drove 200 kilometers to be part of the farewell. That alone says a lot – about him, and about a priest who has meant so much to so many.
And within it all, I feel gratitude toward myself too – for giving myself both the swim and the visit to church. Gratitude for having witnessed this day, this priest, this quiet warmth that lingers even now.
Between the Lines – My Voice
Between the chill of the water and the warmth of the fire rests a simple truth: Gratitude grows when you allow yourself to feel, not just to think. To see, to listen, and to take part – that’s where the magic of ordinary life lives.
AHA – Between the Lines
It’s not always the big things that shape us, but the small, ordinary moments where the heart recognizes itself. A swim, a thank-you, a conversation. That’s where life happens.
Question for You
When did you last feel gratitude in everyday life for something you did just for yourself? What small moment recently reminded you that you’re alive?
Yesterday has settled into rest. From your choices yesterday, gratitude may already live within today – gratitude that you can keep nurturing, and that will return to you tomorrow. It’s in the present we find it – where we live and breathe, and here, we can cultivate our gratitude endlessly.
– Carina Ikonen Nilsson
Church Under the Stars
The church beneath the stars – a quiet reminder of gratitude, presence, and life’s infinity.
Support My Writing
If you enjoy what I write, you can support the blog here:
Gratitude in everyday life grows from the smallest moments – the smell of coffee, a quiet house, and autumn slowly settling in. In the silent morning, my body wakes gently, and peace fills the room. Life in the motorhome will have to wait for a while, but maybe we’ll take one last weekend trip before winter takes over. Autumn invites us to nest, to the scent of green tomatoes in sweet brine, and to the feeling of being in rhythm with time.
Sometimes life feels just like the sky in the picture above – clouds gathering, yet the light always finds its way through. That’s where gratitude in everyday life lives, in the shift between darkness and light.
A New Morning in Gratitude in Everyday Life
It’s a new morning – and I’ve been given the privilege of waking to yet another day. Gratitude already lives within my body as the coffee warms the air, and the house rests in silence. Everyone else is still asleep. This is my moment – that small, still space before the world wakes up.
Gratitude in Everyday Life – Light, Warmth, and Green Tomatoes
Yesterday, my husband and I decided to rearrange our living room. It turned out so well that I spent almost the whole day there. Outside, the wind howled, but inside, I lit candles in every corner and let autumn truly move in.
A quiet moment as day turns to evening. Here peace lives – and gratitude too.
While the candles flickered, I cooked green tomatoes in sweet brine – sugar, vinegar, cloves, and cinnamon. The scent filled the whole house.
The taste of the past. Green tomatoes in syrup – a small piece of nostalgia and gratitude in everyday life.
I used to make them every year, but it hasn’t happened in a while. Now the jar stands there on the kitchen counter, and I feel a small, childlike excitement about what the family will think when they taste them.
When the simple things are allowed to ripen at their own pace – just like life itself.
In Tune with Time and Gratitude in Everyday Life
Alfred was here on Friday to help me bring everything in from the garden. Pots, tools, and soil all came inside before the storm arrived. We pulled up the carrots and planted garlic – next year, I’ll be able to pick fresh garlic from our own garden.
It feels unusual to be in rhythm with the season. Gratitude in everyday life shows up in that feeling – when everything is in its place. Now only the lawnmower and the hose remain; they’ll come in soon too. In the greenhouse, clean, empty pots now stand in neat rows. All the spades, rakes, and garden tools are on holiday until spring.
Autumn Moves In – and So Does Gratitude in Everyday Life
My body is slowly adjusting to autumn and winter. It feels good, almost peaceful, to nest and let the season settle. Still, we haven’t decided if the motorhome will rest completely yet. Maybe there will be one last trip – a weekend with coffee on the gas stove and the lake like a mirror outside the window.
Either way, it’s time for cleaning and unpacking. Summer clothes, blankets, and little things will come inside, where they belong. They’re happier here than in a damp motorhome. Once everything is clean and ready, the motorhome will get its thank you – its see you next year.
Maybe that’s where gratitude in everyday life lives. In the moment before we close things down, in the space between summer and winter. When we can feel that we made it – and that everything is just as it should be.
AHA – The Small Things that Hold Gratitude in Everyday Life
Aha… sometimes gratitude in everyday life isn’t about the big things. It hides in the small ones – the smell of coffee, the feeling of being just in time before the storm, and being in tune with the season. I think that’s when life feels the most – when it’s simple and still.
Between the Lines
Between the lines lives calm. Here I am – in silence, in the everyday, in the small movements that make up my life. This is where I breathe, where I feel – and where I’m grateful just to exist. Gratitude in everyday life lives here, when we begin to truly practice gratitude.
A Question for You, Dear Reader
When was the last time you felt gratitude in everyday life – for something small, like a cup of coffee, a quiet morning, or simply being just in time before the storm?
Yesterday has already found its rest in history. There, we planted seeds that may grow into harvests today or tomorrow – the tomorrow waiting further ahead, out there in the future.
But right now – this is where life happens. Right now, and right now is always here. This is where we plant our seeds.
The first day of the rest of my life – gratitude in everyday life. This morning I woke up with that thought. Today is the first day of the rest of my life. That thought was the very first thing that landed in me when I opened my eyes. Before I got out of bed, I felt gratitude for receiving yet another new morning to wake up in. One more day here in life – isn’t that fantastic?
I got up. The cat was sleeping so deeply that I had to wake him. The coffee was already ready. I lit a candle in the kitchen even though I sat down in the living room. There is something about lighting a candle that gives the morning an extra calm. Maybe someone else wakes up and is met by that light. Maybe I myself, when I go to refill my coffee cup, am met by that little warmth.
A Day with Pain – But Also with Gratitude in Everyday Life
My neck still hurts, and now I also feel it over my left eye. But with Ipren, Alvedon and some tiger balm, I get a few hours of relief.
Yesterday turned out still, but in a new way. After two days in bed, it was wonderful to get going again and feel the scent of home and food. I cleaned the kitchen, cooked the meal, and let that be enough as physical work.
The Smell of Meat Patties and the Joy of Cooking
When I stood there frying my meat patties – and there were many – the whole kitchen smelled wonderful. I was careful to save the pan juices to make a really good sauce.
Yesterday I tried frying the onion before mixing it into the minced meat, but as I already knew, that’s not my thing. It has to be raw, grated onion to give the real flavor. Now I reminded myself once again. This time made it clear to me: raw onion is what I want in the mixture.
This time I also mixed in rolled oats instead of breadcrumbs. It made the meat patties extra juicy. I built up the sauce with the pan juices – and it tasted delicious.
Big Thoughts in the Small Things
Already in bed, the thought of gratitude started living in me. I felt joy that the room was warm. Gratitude for the geothermal heating that gives both warmth and hot water. Imagine that someone figured out a machine that can pull heat from a mountain!
Just being able to turn on a tap and get drinkable water is actually huge. A hundred years ago, people had to go outside and fetch water, no matter how cold it was. When I stay in that thought, I am filled with peace. Such thoughts can lift an entire day.
Like yesterday, when the little one didn’t have time to wipe the table before school. Instead of irritation, I only felt joy that he had eaten breakfast. It really feels like the first day of the rest of my life – gratitude in everyday life makes the difference.
A Longing Made New – Maybe a Swim?
I have missed my new-old habit of bathing in the lake. I miss my bathing sisters, our little laughs, and that calm that always settles afterward. Maybe today I will dare to try again. Maybe a swim can make the pain go away, or maybe it will make it worse. But then I will know.
Just the thought of a dip gives my body a kind of new energy, as if the lake is already calling me. Read here how I once again picked up my morning swims -> An Early Morning Swim Filled with Gratitude
Taking Care of My Thoughts – An Old Habit Returned
It feels like I have taken back an old, important habit. I have once again started taking greater responsibility for how I handle my thoughts and how I choose my feelings. Maybe I’ve been doing it for a long time without thinking about it, but right now I am clearer, more active. I notice how I consciously replace thoughts that don’t bring joy and how I hold on to the ones that carry me.
Because here lies the gain. I can choose – choose whether I want to live in happy feelings or in unhappy ones. Just writing the words gives me a wonderful feeling, because I have a choice. An important choice. And I choose happiness.
This makes me live more and more often in the feeling of well-being – despite the pain and despite the longing for my son and the little grandchildren.
A Little Star for Planning
I also want to recommend the astrological planning calendar I mentioned earlier. It will follow me through the coming year – as a compass for thoughts and small moments of reflection.
The planning calendar based on the stars applies for next year. If you buy it via this link, you get a 30 % discount. Use the discount code Astrocalendar30.
This is not an affiliate link. I earn nothing from sharing it, but just want to recommend it because I myself find the calendar interesting. The discount code gives you 30 % off if you want to try it. My thought is that the calendar will eventually help me plan breaks and choose thoughts and self-love more consciously. This may not be the author’s idea – but that’s how I plan to use the one I bought.
Between the Lines – AHA Mirror
This post is not only about meat patties and gratitude. It reflects a conscious choice to live here and now: that every cup of coffee, every smell of food, and every little thought can become a place of joy – despite pain, longing, and the days that cannot be changed.
And in the stillness there is also the courage to try again – maybe a cold swim that awakens body and soul.
What it says about me as a writer: Presence. Care. Creativity in everyday life. An inner strength that dares to try and keeps choosing joy.
Questions for You as a Reader
What fills your mornings with gratitude?
Do you have a little everyday miracle – a scent, a routine – that carries you through the day?
When was the last time a small thought changed your entire day?
What would a cold morning swim give you right now?
Reflection
The simple things are often the greatest. A candle in the kitchen, the smell of fried meat patties, running water, a cycling joy in the evening light – and maybe a morning swim. That’s where gratitude lives, in the quiet miracles that make a day worth living.
The first day of the rest of my life – gratitude in everyday life makes me choose happiness every day.
Yesterday has already settled into history, where I chose happiness. Tomorrow awaits further ahead. But right now, I can choose to live in happiness – because this is where life happens. – Carina Ikonen Nilsson
We use cookies to optimize our website and our service.
Functional
Alltid aktiv
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
