The other day I was feeling a bit discouraged. I knew my problem wasn't "real" but was instead a reflection of what I
was thinking. Quite frankly, I was having a case of Bad Attitude, so I went online and did a search for "living abundantly." What I found was a blog post suggesting that I go onto my Facebook page and post the following:
Hi friends - I’m in the mood for gratitude. You tell me
something that you’re grateful for today and I’ll match it with one of mine.
What happened was astounding. (You can read what my marvelous friends wrote at the bottom of this post). It inspired me out of my slump and got me thinking about my never-ending list of gratitude. Here is just the start!
The beginning of a long list of that for which I am grateful (in no particular order):
1. Being raised as a reader. I had my own library card by the
time I was 7, and we went to the library regularly. By the time I got to high
school and my dad had meetings every Wednesday evening we’d have “bring a book to
dinner” night. Reading
remains my entertainment, my escape, my
university, my solace. More about my book obsession here.
2. Glasses. Sometimes, usually when watching a period movie,
I try to imagine what it would be like to not be able to see well. As much as I
hate the smudges and general annoyance, I’m grateful.
3. Being comfortable outdoors. I had the opportunity to go to
“sleep over” camp beginning when I was a Brownie. I loved it. The campfire
songs, the clean air, the sheer fun. But the best of all was comfort gained sleeping
outside instead of hiding in a tent. Oh, the stars!
4. Seasons. In the winter, when it snows and the flakes landing land on my sleeves look just like the ones I'd cut out of carefully folded paper as a child in snow-less San Francisco, I realize that I love winter. Just when I am quite certain that I can’t stand
another moment of the freezing cold, spring appears – the robins arrive, and green is
everywhere. The last few years I’ve been making jelly from violets. Before I
know it, the tomatoes are starting to ripen and we spend our days sweating.
When summer seems like it has been going on forever, and even the pond is no
longer cool and refreshing (it is more like old bathwater) the air crisps up,
the leaves change color, and the milkweeds explode into fluffliness.
5. BLTs. With excellent bacon, Hellman’s mayo, crispy iceberg lettuce, and dark-purple
acidic tomatoes. Heaven on earth.
6. Dogs. Big. Small. Young. Old.
7. Kurt. A kinder, more easy-going, generous, most-excellent companion would be
impossible to find. Here’s just one example: one day, when I was whining about
cramps and not wanting to do anything he said “Hey. Sit down and read a magazine.
Menstruation is a full-time job.”
8. Therapy. I’d be dead, or at least more of a mess, without
it. Thank you Judy for all of your help and insights!
9. Harmony. I love songs with harmony, the way the music
intertwines…
10. The base part in Fleetwood Mac’s Go Your Own Way.
11. Growing up in the SF Bay Area in the 70’s. The concerts
we got to see were amazing. The politics were inspiring. The schools were brand new and had great teachers. It felt like the center of the universe.
12. Great movies and the lines that come from them.
“Fasten your seat belt; it’s going to be a bumpy night” from All About Eve tops the list.
13. Fabulous names. Monu Tuiasosopo. Atticus, Jem and Scout Finch. Chili Davis. Neda Ulaby. Soraya
Sarhaddi Nelson. Huckleberry Finn.
14. Memorable words. Flurry, pickle relish, salubrious, archipelago, brouhaha, reconnoiter, discombobulate, plethora...
15. Dave Brubek's Take Five
16. Peter Gabriel. Jackson Browne. Bonnie Raitt. Graham Nash. Joni Mitchell. They stole my heart in the 70's. I've never wanted it back.
17. My nieces. Three of the most amazing young women on the planet. And no, I am not biased!
18. Modern Pharma. Say what you will; when I have a migraine headache and can be rid of it in one hour instead of three torturous, nausea- and agony-filled days because of a little pill...well, that's something that goes on my gratitude list.
19. Nick and Nora Charles, the characters in the Thin Man movies.
20. The Sierra Nevada Mountains. They will always be home, where I feel the most comfortable, and where I know the names of all the trees, birds and flowers.
21. Being born where, when and who I was/am. I am only beginning to understand the enormous privilege that I was born with. I am healthy, white, a native Californian born to parents who owned a house, had good jobs and health insurance, who sent me to college and supported most of what I wanted to do. It is humbling when looking at the rest of the world.
22. Learning to play basketball, and playing on my junior college team. I was never very good, and certainly not aggressive enough. But I loved learning to push my body to its limits, sweating like a dog, learning skills like using peripheral vision, and getting a glimpse into hoops strategy.
23. The books of Beverly Cleary illustrated by Louis Darling. I suspect that this is where I first fell in love with dogs.
24. People who walk their talk, live what they believe, and make the world a better place.
25. Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage and everyone who has ever visited or lived here. It is sometimes difficult to see the forest for the trees, but it is very clear to me that this is an amazing place. Everyone who comes through makes a ripple, which touches each and every one of us. And those who live here have made such an impression on me and how I live...can't imagine my life without my time at DR!
Below is the list posted by friends when I asked them what they were grateful for:
14. Memorable words. Flurry, pickle relish, salubrious, archipelago, brouhaha, reconnoiter, discombobulate, plethora...
15. Dave Brubek's Take Five
16. Peter Gabriel. Jackson Browne. Bonnie Raitt. Graham Nash. Joni Mitchell. They stole my heart in the 70's. I've never wanted it back.
17. My nieces. Three of the most amazing young women on the planet. And no, I am not biased!
18. Modern Pharma. Say what you will; when I have a migraine headache and can be rid of it in one hour instead of three torturous, nausea- and agony-filled days because of a little pill...well, that's something that goes on my gratitude list.
19. Nick and Nora Charles, the characters in the Thin Man movies.
20. The Sierra Nevada Mountains. They will always be home, where I feel the most comfortable, and where I know the names of all the trees, birds and flowers.
21. Being born where, when and who I was/am. I am only beginning to understand the enormous privilege that I was born with. I am healthy, white, a native Californian born to parents who owned a house, had good jobs and health insurance, who sent me to college and supported most of what I wanted to do. It is humbling when looking at the rest of the world.
22. Learning to play basketball, and playing on my junior college team. I was never very good, and certainly not aggressive enough. But I loved learning to push my body to its limits, sweating like a dog, learning skills like using peripheral vision, and getting a glimpse into hoops strategy.
23. The books of Beverly Cleary illustrated by Louis Darling. I suspect that this is where I first fell in love with dogs.
24. People who walk their talk, live what they believe, and make the world a better place.
25. Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage and everyone who has ever visited or lived here. It is sometimes difficult to see the forest for the trees, but it is very clear to me that this is an amazing place. Everyone who comes through makes a ripple, which touches each and every one of us. And those who live here have made such an impression on me and how I live...can't imagine my life without my time at DR!
Below is the list posted by friends when I asked them what they were grateful for:
- You.
- Grateful
is good
So I am really grateful right now that the ground isn't a seeping mud pit. While I am not overly fond of cold weather, I don't like mud much either.
- Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage!!!
- I am more than grateful for our friends at the Milkweed Mercantile who let my sister and I come down and spend an entire evening eating, visiting, and catching up like we cannot do ANYWHERE else. Truly last thurs night was one of our best yet!! Thank you!!
- Baby tomatoes!
- laughter
- Asbestos Gelos (NOTE from Alline: I didn't know what this was, and so looked it up. SO COOL. Check it out here with Laugh Lady.)
- The support you gave me when I was so sick at DR. I still hear your words sometimes. Thank you, Alline. I am also grateful to have felt well for over 13 years!
- People who push the boundry of what's acceptable and inspire us to challenge our own beliefs and opinions.
- The Sun, which has been hiding for a few days, is out warming the world & my heart! I AM super happy & grateful!!!!
- Greatful I was able to register my kinder and get my books and audiobooks to successfully download.
- Melting snow banks and tiny patches of grass still alive and almost green underneath.
- Grateful for happy healthy grandchildren.
- I'm grateful for beautiful weather today.
- Today i am grateful for sudafed and benydral lol. I give them full credit for my ability to breathe today.
- Swimming in the sunshine
- getting the tires fixed
- Fuck yeah I want another mango! Also, thanks fruit for being fruit (let us note that this author is spending the winter months not in freezing Missouri but instead in tropical Ecuador and Costa Rica. Hence his giddy ode to tropical fruit.)
- my amazing brother
- Grateful for the growing circle of friends I have discovered since moving to this little rural community I call home!
- My kids and wife!
- Friendship
- Taking the time to finish She Got Up off the Couch today. Loved it, Alline.
- Working with my sister and my husband. Could not ask for two people I could trust and be happy to see everyday.
- my new job!
- A new compost bin that Alexander and Grant built! (Also, all the boards they planed to finish our ceiling!!)
- great friends, great adventures, exciting future!
- my bikram yoga practice, family, friends, blue mountains, pink sunsets, my new chiro office, and a really cool dog
- My health! and my friends, both 2 and 4 legged.
- The Milkweed Mercantile and reading Alline's 48 grateful responses!!!
- I'm grateful when both feet hit the ground and I stay upright. So many of my patients tell me how they didn't know they had a stroke until they stood up, and actually only one half stood, and they fell.
- Grateful you are part of my family. love, Aunt Melba
- i am grateful for that place that offers so many the space to create, in you - that would be the way you phrase things. it's right on ...
- Cold but blue, sunny skies in Chicago.
- I am so grateful for friends who appreciate gratefulness, really! Bringing this quality out in the forefront, exercising this practice is special. You're doing it! I'm grateful!
How is your day going? And what are you grateful for?
love,
Alline
love,
Alline
