Small gratitudes. Being grateful isn’t just about getting, having or doing. Sometimes gratitude is about not getting, having or doing. Or not being given something, having something done to you or having to do something you don’t want to do.
I can list all kinds of small gratitudes every day.
Today I woke up feeling great.
I had a great cup of coffee with a cinnamon raisin english muffin.
I went to the dentist and did not swallow the gold crown they were trying to install in to my mouth when it dropped unexpectedly at the back of my throat. I was very grateful and started laughing when I caught it with my tongue.
A whole lot of gratitude when Husband picked me up at the dentist and had a car full of little people who love me.
Even more gratitude when there were more little people to go see who love me and didn’t want me to leave.
Some gratitude was experienced when I walked in to the bathroom at McDonald’s and stood there wondering when and why they put a urinal in the women’s restroom. For mom’s who had to bring little boys in? Gratitude for the length of time (sadly) it took me to realize I had walked in to the men’s room (that used to be the women’s room) without having a man walk in behind me or appear from the one stall with a door on it. And when I exited this room, crossed over to the women’s room, I was ever grateful when I realized that I was very happy there was no man folk standing there using the open and exposed urinal in the men’s room that used to be the women’s room.
When I left the appropriate bathroom I was ever grateful that the three tables with people sitting at them did not try to make eye contact with me. Though I would have been grateful if one had and laughed. I was laughing at me. It would have been a shared laugh. But avoided further embarrassment was a gratitude as well.
I find there are many things to be grateful for.
And many things I’m grateful for not having seen.
The Chatter Blog 
When I saw the title of the I took a double take and then realized it really was what I was seeing, now that I’ve read this, I’m laughing so hard!! A urinal in the ladies room! ahaha! I’m glad you could find grateful in the mens room and humour to boot!!
LikeLike
🙂 It was a bit confusing. My daughter emailed me to let me know that the store had indeed switched the bathrooms when they had remodeled. I had not been in since. To my surprise!
LikeLike
Now that’s a great practical joke! Did you look around to see if you were on candid camera?
LikeLike
Ha! I should have. It was pretty funny. I had been in that McD’s many times over 20 years. There are some things you just take for granted. Like the bathroom you always walked in to was the right one all of those years. Which it was. Until they changed it to the wrong one. 🙂
LikeLike
what are the odds eh?!
LikeLike
Hahahahaha! This just took the stress I already have from school, away and made me laugh! Too funny mom lol
LikeLike
I’m glad it cheered you up! 🙂
LikeLike
This sounds just like you, always exploring new places.
LikeLike
I like the positive spin on this!
LikeLike
I would have laughed if I had seen you – but over here in Scandinavia we have unisex toilets … brilliant idea – because urinals often stink. Haven’t seen separated toilets for years … maybe at airports, but that is. What a lovely post … sometime gratitude’s is a good thing and sometimes they can be a pain.
I know you would had laughed too if somebody had laughed.
Take about being grateful … I had been to my gynecologist, now many years ago … and walking back into city center I notice something was bothering me around my ankles – no it wasn’t my knickers … but my black underskirt. Looked around and stepped out if .. and I don’t have clue if anyone had notice and I start laughing at myself – and put it in my bag.
LikeLike
Okay wait, I like your story better! 🙂
There are many places that have unisex bathrooms as well. But they are usually bathrooms that are private. One person goes in and locks the door.
But most restaurants (to my knowledge) are still mens and ladies rooms. Some have “family” rooms where parents can take children.
It was laughable. I wonder what those people thought when I went in one room, came out, crossed over and went to the other. 🙂
LikeLike
I am grateful every single day for things I do not have, see and do not have to do. I am guessing your trip to the restroom ranks at the top of my list. Thank you for the morning giggle, Colleen. I would have laughed with you. xxx
LikeLike
Thank you Red. I would have enjoyed someone laughing with me. Unfortunately Husband and kids were sitting where they couldn’t see me. Ah well. He enjoyed the story. I’m glad you got a morning giggle out of it. 🙂
LikeLike
It was the little people… they must have set you up… they always have a way of doing things that make the big people do things that big people would not normally do. …. Always be on your guard when the little people are around. Oh yeah, and thank your lucky stars for the little people!!!!!
LikeLike
The stars are thanked! 🙂 And the little people didn’t even get to see the show!
LikeLike
I would have laughed…and pointed 😛
LikeLike
HAHAHAHAHAHA! That would have been splendid! 🙂
LikeLike
I’m grateful for my friend with brain cancer who dropped her cell phone in the Subway toilet. She pulled it out, dried it off with napkins, laid it on the table. Just then it rang a girgled dying ring and she said, “Will you answer that?” I said, “Are you joking? No way!” 🙂 I’m thankful for times like these…..they make you smile. Thank you, as always for a great post.
LikeLike
I’m thankful for you sharing that. And that moments like that are possible for you and your friend. You’re very welcome. (I would have not answered it either. I wouldn’t have pulled it out of the toilet either! She is quite brave!).
LikeLike
I’m grateful there is no urinal in my bathroom. For the record, I would have laughed. With you. 🙂
LikeLike
I have a feeling if you, or one of the others were around, there may have even been a picture! 🙂
LikeLike
Urinal just kidding right?Pretend I am from the South.Just finished the last of your blog at three in the morning Colleen.I find you to be wise witty and wonderful.It has been so much fun seeing how your days have changed and are yet the same.Now I want to pick another blog and do read it from the very beginning.
Blessings Liz
LikeLike
Hi Coleen,
I have a Thanksgiving List I made up. It’s pretty long. It had over 200 things on it. I thought you might get a kick out of reading it. One of the things was for “public restrooms”. What would we do without them!!??
http://robinclaire.wordpress.com/2012/11/03/my-thanksgiving-gratitude-list/
robin
LikeLike
Thanks Robin, I am pulling it up now. Funny, how many of us have written about public bathrooms. I have on occasion or two. As have others. And they are usually pretty funny, about the things that bother us most about them!
And without them….uhm….well…… not sure. 🙂
LikeLike
I am WHCing!!!! Okay, this is sweet and a great reminder for being grateful for such small things but I must confess I wish the bathroom story went a little different…what a great story that could have made!!!! And why the heck did they switch the two different bathrooms around????
LikeLike
HAHAHA! You and some others wished the same thing! I would have probably thought the MAN was in the wrong room. I don’t really know why they switched. The original bathroom had 2 very small stalls in which you had to stand over the toilet to close the door behind you. Once the error of my ways was discovered and I walked in to the “new” bathroom I did notice the 2 stalls were a good bit bigger. Maybe they thought the women needed more room????
It would have been a bit of a different gratitude I would have had to come up with if some poor fella had been in there! 🙂
LikeLike
My sister in law still laughs about the time she did the exact same thing!
LikeLike
🙂 I am still laughing. Though not as much as my daughter is laughing….
LikeLike