"The Northern Lights."

Another Wednesday means another chance to draw a card from my Grateful AF deck and see what it wants me to appreciate today.

Oh, the Northern Lights. They might be the very first thing I ever associated with magic as a young boy. Seeing images on TV made me feel like I was seeing absolute sorcery dancing across the skies. And here they are again, showing up in my gratitude card.

There are so, so many reasons that I am grateful for them.

• They are proof that I live in a time when magic still exists 

• They remind me that there is still so much beauty in this world that I have yet to see in person

• They remind me of a time when the bright lights seemed like the coolest thing ever 

• And perhaps most important, the time I spent watching them was time when nothing else bad in the real world could get to me

 

Gratitude can sometimes only be realized in hindsight. Looking back, I am thankful for all of the things I had that brought me moments of joy. They were refuge in storms, safe places in dangerous times. And I had them to carry me away to something beautiful, even if only in my mind.

And for all of that, yes, I am grateful AF.