Local Author Encourages Families to Share Thoughts about Love and Gratitude
by Taryn Zier
Sue Lundquist and her daughter, Lexi, have shared many heartfelt moments during their years of journaling together. One of Lundquist’s favorite moments was when Lexi said she was “thankful for her nose so she could smell mommy’s cookies.”
It’s the simple things that Lundquist calls “the pure stuff.” Lundquist is the Seattle-area author of I’m Thankful, a journal that encourages families to communicate about love and gratitude. Lundquist asks her three girls what they are thankful for at least once a day.
She was inspired to create the journal when she was pregnant with Lexi, her third child, as a way to help instill compassion, communication and thankfulness in her children. It was also a time of emotional upheaval for Lundquist. Within that same year, Lundquist, who was raised by adoptive parents, met her birth mother; they had only six months to reacquaint themselves before she died of cancer. Instead of plunging headfirst into self-pity, Lundquist vowed to remain positive, another testament to her that she should put her efforts into the journal.
Published in July, I’m Thankful encourages families to talk about things that are important in life. It is simple and was designed that way because caregivers don’t often have time for something elaborate. Lundquist encourages people to make it their own, to use it however it works best for them. It can be especially nice at the tender moments of bedtime when you are snuggling up and reading or talking about the day.
The journal asks two essential questions: “What was your favorite part of the day?” and “What are you most thankful for?” Interspersed within the hardcover book are black and white photographs of kids – mostly Lundquist’s adorable family – empty space for your child, or you, to write and doodle; and some of the responses from her own children. There are motivational sayings at the bottom of the blank journal entry pages, like “Believe in Yourself” and “Be Kind,” which are meant to spark interest and questions. Lundquist’s example is to ask, “What would you do to be kind to a child who was crying in the corner?” At the end of the book, a fill-in-the-blanks page encourages you to tell your child that you feel lucky he or she is in your life.
I decided to give the journal a try with my 4-year-old son, Nathan. His answers to the questions revolved around the new friends he was meeting at preschool, which makes sense because that is what is meaningful for him right now. He made me smile when the second I was done talking, he grabbed a notepad and pen and proceeded to ask me matter-of-factly, “What do you want for dinner?” The two-way communication was working.
At first I envisioned doing this every few months or so, as a way to see how his awareness of himself and the world changed and to track the discussions those changes provoked. But now I realize asking the questions more often will be positive for me as well as for him. Like many other moms with young children, I tend to dread the bedtime routine – fighting the toothbrush battles, the many attempts to forestall sleep procrastination and the nagging thought that I have a list of things to do after he and his sister go to sleep.
The journal will help me stay grounded, so I don’t miss out on important opportunities to connect with my kids when I am agitated or in a hurry. It will be a reminder to set a good example and appreciate the little things in life. It will help my children feel special and loved. And it serves as a way to document their lives. While I could do all these things on my own, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have help.
This is exactly what Lundquist hopes for. She feels that creating the “I’m Thankful” journal was meant to be. Now, her dream is to see it become a staple all over the world. Also, Lundquist has started a “crusade,” as she calls it, to benefit children’s organizations through book events. She began with Seattle Children’s Hospital and Kootenai Health Foundation in Coeur d'Alene; Childhaven is next on the list and will be using 150 of the journals in their “Tackle Child Abuse Dinner & Auction” on Nov. 17. Lundquist spends the rest of her time caring for her family in their Woodinville home and keeping fit for charity runs and triathlons.
“Parents are so busy, and technology is so pervasive; there can be a lack of connection within families, which is pretty scary,” Lundquist says. “I hope to encourage a happy balance and help remind people what we already know exists in each of us – love and gratitude.”
Taryn Zier is a writer and mother of two based in Lake Forest Park.
