Gratitude isn’t denial. It’s grounding.

It’s the practice of noticing what still exists when everything feels like it’s unraveling. The relationships that hold. The small moments of safety. The fact that even in a hurting world, care is still being offered — sometimes quietly, sometimes imperfectly, but genuinely.

There’s something almost ironic about “growth.” We talk about it as if it’s always about fixing what’s broken or transforming what’s not enough.

One most people overlook is that growth often begins with what’s already functioning well.

Connections are the threads that weave life together—relationships with our children, students, partners, colleagues, friends, and even ourselves. And just like habits, not all connections deserve to continue in the same form.

Here’s the truth: some relationships can energize us, and others can quietly drain us.