Hey there blind wisdom seekers,

At our local Dunedin Coaches Network meeting on Thursday night at Nova, I was having a conversation about my upcoming trip to India when the topic of diaries came up.

“I always keep a sensory diary” I explained to the group, “one thing that I smell, hear, taste and touch each day when I am traveling to other countries”

One of the members of the group Chris Le Breton then said “sensory gratitude, I love it!”

“So do I” I replied, “Sensory gratitude.”

I had always written the sensory diary as a way of highlighting the things that I can do when I travel as people often wonder what it is that I see when we visit the wonders of the world! The diary, reminds me that while I can no longer see, I can still smell, hear, taste and touch!

Every morning when I am at home, I write a list of 10 things I am grateful for, including such things as my hot cup of tea, the clean sheets on our bed or for my husband Ron for being such a star! I email this list to two grateful groups (around 9 people) and then in return I get their lists in my inbox each day. In total I am grateful for about 100 things each day, 10 of them in my life and 90 of them in other peoples! I love these lists, and reading the small things that everyone is grateful for. The lists highlight our uniqueness and the variety of our different worlds.

Today I was writing my list for the Active Hope group, yes, another list of 10 things I’m grateful for, that has been part of our course requirement, when I suddenly remembered what Chris has said about “sensory gratitude.” Here is my very first sensory gratitude journal that I have written whilst at home. I thought you may like to read it.

1 the smell of freshly cut flowers that Diane put on our hall table!

2 the sound of the voices on X factor last night! Incredible!

3 the taste of the strawberry jam on my toast this morning!

4 the feel of my walking rope that Jo holds one end of and I hold the other when we go walking in the mornings!

5 the sound of Saturday mornings – I love that noise!

6 the feel of the rain that nearly plopped on us when we were out!

7 the warmth and taste of my morning cuppa!

8 the feel of the blankets that keep me warm at night

9 the sound of a barking dog – they are so funny!

10 the sound in people’s voices when they start talking about what they’ve always dreamed of! I love that!

Thank you for the constant reminder Universe, that every day I ssmell, hear, taste and touch. IT seems only appropriate to end with the quotation that is now in my head:

“So much has been given to me I have not time to ponder over that which has been denied.”

Helen Keller – our Deafblind fountain of wisdom!

Huge hugs

J

p.s. the photo is of me tasting Turkish delight at Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar!