In late February and early March, we had a remarkable stretch of sunny days. For around two weeks, the sun showed up almost without fail. Temperatures went to 10, sometimes 15 degrees Celsius, and you could walk around in a t-shirt, even sit outside for stretches at a time.
The first time the sun came out, I skipped around outside, literally jumping with joy that winter was coming to a close. On that and several subsequent days, I mentioned the weather in my gratitude journal. But one morning, I sat down on my couch, looked outside, and went: “Ah, another sunny day.” The curse of habituation had set in.
This time, however, at least I caught myself: “Wait a minute. It’s not another sunny day. It’s a sunny day. An outlier in March. A gift. A singular moment to enjoy, even if similar moments came before it in the last few weeks.” It’s funny: Once we realize we’re getting used to something good, we become extra grateful for that goodness lasting as long as it has. If we don’t, however, we not only miss out on bonus gratitude, we also stop seeing some of the original goodness to begin with.
Will you live life in monochrome or technicolor? Sometimes, the difference comes down to the smallest realization—like that today is not just “another” sunny day.