When I first heard about 365 Grateful, something clicked in me. I knew I hadn’t been “present” enough in moments that needed to be acknowledged. I knew that my life has become one big race, a contemporary living, fun at first heavy in the end. Slowing down has always been a challenge as I’m running from myself or whatever it is that constantly poking me to get up and go. And two weeks ago, when I decided it was time to have my sick dog be put down but did it in such rushing manner that it was almost a turning point. Because I blamed my busy life for not giving my family or myself the celebratory ending of our more than eleven years of friendship with our dog. We moved out of a grungy Ascot Vale flat in order to get a dog.

Katie became a best friend for many years. She slept on my bed, sniffed my pregnant belly, greeted me at the door every day. Up until Ada’s arrival, she was my little baby. But things have changed with kids. Katie got pushed aside, I spent less and less time with her. She’d been sick for quite sometime so it wasn’t like I freed myself but it was more to free my quilt of last four years. Although Bilgin agreed with me on the decision, he didn’t talk to me for whole four days because I didn’t give him the chance to say a proper goodbye. I rushed. I was too busy trying to get on top things. I rushed Katie to the vet and made the decision on the spot instead of having planned a celebration of Katie’s life with us. I didn’t give the chance to any of us to say a decent farewell. Her ashes are coming back home so I’m planning to have us sit around a circle and show our gratitude for her past existence in our lives.

This’s what’s left behind…

365 Grateful is a photography project done by Hailey and Andrew Bartholomew. I instantly adored the idea. I’ll dedicate a little moment to adapt this idea in the next 365 days starting as of today. The blog post won’t probably be long and will be more about the photo from the day but I will do it. A picture a day from the things I appreciate, I’m grateful,otherwise I would ignore…