Little Moments of Gratitude

Caroline Godin finds new perspective in giving thanks in times of stress.

Many things weigh our minds as mamas, causing us stress. I wonder how the saints did it, finding joy in little moments and hope in difficult times. 

Fall Foliage 

I was driving my dad back from an appointment. He has dementia so he’s lost a lot of cognitive abilities like using a phone or computer — he was a software engineer, so it’s extra frustrating for him. 

He was commenting on the beautiful fall foliage on our drive and wished he had a camera. It came out far more negative from him, but I’ll spare you. 

I looked at my phone in front of me. I can be a control freak, but I felt the prompting enough to pull it off the holder and swipe to the camera. 

“Here,” I told him, “Press the big white circle to take a picture.” 

What harm could there be in letting him snap a few photos? For the rest of the drive, he was content taking pictures. 

All the Straws 

I realize I can’t control each moment. I have lots of people under my care these days, but none of this lasts. My parents aren’t here forever, and my kids will grow up and move out. I could stress over each detail — or I could find moments to be grateful. Maybe this is how the saints did it. 

I think about all the little things that aggravate me. There’s lots of straws on this camel’s back. 

My daughter decided to commandeer one corner of the kitchen with her shoes. My sons’ soccer bags and gear are everywhere. The basement is littered with hockey equipment. We have Hot Wheels tracks blocking the fireplace. 

All this drives me nuts. I just want a clean house, almost like no one lives here. But there’s so much living here going on. 

And none of it will last. 

Little Moments of Gratitude 

My daughter’s a senior and spending less time at home. The shoes are fine; they won’t last. 

My boys are active and healthy, and soccer’s finishing up. Someday their equipment won’t be in my house. I may miss it then. 

I flipped through the pictures my dad took. The images of me are unflattering and the dash takes up most of the others, but I’m not deleting them. 

You could say I’m finding a silver lining in every stress point, but I’m trying to do better. I’m trying to not see them as stress points but as evidence of life happening around me. I need to be grateful for each moment, no matter how small. It’s so human to be lost in the moment and lose sight of what’s truly important: eternity. 

My daughter’s friends are coming over and the living room needs to be cleaned, only to have a new mess take its place. That’s okay. Our house is the hangout house. I love that. I’m so grateful for that. It means more work, but it’s worth it. 

Grateful Like the Saints 

There’s always reason to give thanks to God, and I’m finding it more and more. The saints are a great example. 

Saint Josephine Bakhita, Apostle of Gratitude

Saint Josephine Bakhita was kidnapped as a child and sold into slavery, suffering much at the hands of her masters until rescued and brought to Italy. She was in the care of the Canossian sisters in Venice where she learned about Jesus and consecrated herself to Him. She’s known as the Apostle of Gratitude because she credits her captors for leading her on a path to know Jesus. 

Saint Bernadette

Saint Bernadette made every point in her life a moment of gratitude, from poverty to ridicule, she gave thanks to God for all her sufferings. 

Saint Faustina Kowalska

Saint Faustina gave thanks to God for all things, calling many of them her “daily little crosses.” She kept a Gratitude List in her diary, published as Divine Mercy in My Soul. 

There are many more saints who model gratitude: Saint Teresa of Calcutta, Saint John of Avila, Saint John Chrysostom, and Saint Ignatius of Loyola. Let’s model after the saints and be grateful for all the little moments, turning problems into praise and stress into gratitude. 

Share your thoughts with the Catholic Mom community! You'll find the comment box below the author's bio and list of recommended articles.

Copyright 2025 Caroline Godin
Images: Canva