Gratitude Journal no. 29

July 16, 2026

I am thankful for…

1. Fresh air. Today, records were broken for poor air quality in Chicago. It feels slightly apocalyptic, so instead of being overcome with fear and anxiety about the problems it’s causing so many people, I’m pausing to have gratitude for all the days the air is clear and safe to breathe.

2. Air conditioning. Same personal story - I normally have access to AC, so when it’s down, I put on my “camper’s mindset,” tell myself it’s cool enough and say an extra thank you for all the times I’ve been lucky enough to have AC.

3. Air purifiers. When the air is bad, and your AC is down, but you still have air purifiers (from those times a skunk that was under or around the house, left a smell that woke you up in the middle of the night or lingered for days), one can only be thankful. I’m glad I didn’t have to go out in this weird mess to get air purifiers and already had several on site.

Sometimes, my gratitude is deep. Tonight, it’s a survival mechanism. Grateful for the chance to rest and sleep knowing I have all of these things to be thankful for.

If you’re new here

I decided to challenge myself to publish my personal writing more, starting January 2024. From pausing to deliberately reflect to getting more disciplined about creating for myself, I jumped into this goal. For a little more on this journey, check out my first public Gratitude Journal entry.