Finding Gratitude in Cascais

24-Hours In This Quaint Coastal Town in Portugal

I forget far too easily just how much life I’ve lived in 31 years, but travel has a natural way of slowing me down, prompting me to pause and reflect.

Lately, I’ve been intentional about spending time at night focusing on what I have to be grateful for and less time focusing on what I don’t have—or what I’m scared of not having in the future.

During a trip to Portugal, I spent a whole 24 hours in this quaint coastal town called Cascais. I enjoyed people-watching, conversations with locals, and the Portuguese golden hour while indulging in an ungodly amount of tapas, paella, and sangria. As if that wasn’t enough, I ended the night with a little gelato, espresso, and self-reflection.

A few things that crossed my mind that night that I’m grateful for:

• Family, in particular, a mom who has seemingly defeated cancer for the second time in her life

• My own physical health

• Friends that have poured an immense amount of love and support onto me through the best and the worst versions of myself

• The ability to travel

• The new, refreshing perspective I gain from traveling to other countries and talking to new people

• The endless possibilities of an unknown future

Who wouldn’t find gratitude in a place as beautiful as this?