I've been more intentional with my gratitude lately. As I brush my teeth each morning, I think about three things I am grateful for. Today it was for the veterans who have served so we can enjoy the freedom that is easy to take for granted. I am grateful for my children, their laughter and yes, even their fighting. They don’t realize how blessed they are to have each other. I am grateful for being able to walk and enjoy the outdoors. So many people can’t walk with ease and struggle to move about each day.

I live a life that many can only dream of. I have time to spend with family and friends. I am financially secure and look forward to the work I do each day. I can choose what to do and who to do it with in each moment. And yet I am restless.

Restless for more…more impact and more connection. In a world where most of us grab our phones before we put on our jackets, it is easy to forget that real connections are built in the small moments. That moment you pass someone on a walk and share a smile. That moment when you help someone up when they fall unexpectedly. That moment when you hold someone’s hand to give them comfort when their heart is hurting.

Take in those moments and just be. Not just today but on any day that your path crosses the path of a veteran say thank you. They have made the small moments of connection possible.