Walking On Campus: An Exercise in Gratitude

By Zeke Shomler

Photo by Nóra McIntyre

Nearly every day, I walk from my apartment in Hess Village down to the Gruening building where I teach and take classes. Usually, I have headphones on, listening to a podcast or playlist, zoning out and forgetting the world around me.

This week, however, I have been thinking a lot about gratitude: how we are surrounded by things that we can be thankful for, if we only notice them. I challenged myself to walk without headphones and notice fifty things during my seven-minute walk that I can be thankful for. 

It’s easy—and important, in the right contexts—to focus on the ways things are going badly in this world. But real conscious engagement with changes that need to be made must be balanced with a recognition of the world’s beauty. Part of it is taking care of yourself—if you don’t notice good things in the world, you will burn out very quickly. Gratitude is a means of self-care. But it also helps as we fight for things that need to be changed: if we are only filled with anger and intent on tearing things down, what will we have to rebuild with? 

This gratitude is a kind of mindfulness. It involves slowing down, noticing the world around you, and being intentional about the way you engage with it. 

Here is my list of fifty things I am thankful for during my brief walk through campus:

  1. The facilities employees who clear the paths for us to walk on

  2. My neighbor, who cleared our porch for us

  3. Long sunrises during the winter months

  4. Hills for sledding on

  5. Crows, swooping and laughing

  6. Paw prints in the snow as evidence of fluffy friends

  7. The intricate pattern of leafless trees against the sky

  8. The jacket keeping me warm

  9. The perfect white untouched snow on roofs 

  10. Icicles

  11. Birch tree knots that look like eyes

  12. The way the snow sparkles in the sun

  13. The view of the Tanana Valley from up here on Troth Yeddha’

  14. Clouds reflecting pink-orange light

  15. My winter boots, which help to keep me from slipping

  16. The way people approaching me on the sidewalk will nod and smile

  17. The way the sky looks when it’s reflected in the apartment windows

  18. The last few leaves hanging on to bare branches

  19. Evergreens full of clumps of snow like thick white frosting

  20. The warm coffee in my hand

  21. The graduate school, for giving me the thermos for my coffee

  22. My weather app, which tells me exactly when the sun will set

  23. The air in my lungs

  24. The ground beneath my feet

  25. The sound of ravens flying and vocalizing

  26. The sound of snow crunching under my feet

  27. Squirrels playing in the tree branches

  28. Different boot-patterns on the sidewalk, which turn into a kind of artwork

  29. Gravel on the roads to make them drivable

  30. The cool brick pattern on the Whitaker building

  31. Firefighters that keep us safe

  32. Talented medical professionals at the Health Center

  33. The color of the sky

  34. The cars that stop for me as I cross the street

  35. The song stuck in my head (“Motion Sickness” by Phoebe Bridgers)

  36. The buses and shuttles (and their drivers) that take us where we need to go

  37. Christmas lights on the bus shelter and Wood Center patio

  38. The warmth and welcoming environment of the Wood Center

  39. Handrails on icy stairs

  40. Gloves that protect my fingers

  41. The phone in my pocket

  42. Frost-covered tree needles

  43. The sculpture in front of Constitution Hall (its enduring power captivates me)

  44. The snowman in front of Constitution Hall (evidence of fun and whimsy)

  45. The Mail Center employees who make sure I get my letters and packages

  46. The library (and the librarians who work there)

  47. My students and colleagues in Gruening

  48. Double doors leading into buildings to help manage the weather

  49. The chance to take some time, slow down, and notice things

  50. The ability to study on a beautiful campus with amazing people!

This was not an easy task, but it was so rewarding!

I challenge you to do the same: wherever you are going today, try to notice what’s around you and take some time for gratitude. Whether that means creating a long list of fifty things or just making a mental note of one or two, the practice of gratitude can be a valuable way to connect with yourself, be mindful, and take note of the small ways we are blessed every single day.

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