Gratitude Journal

Garnet ghost town, Montana

Things to be grateful for? Hmmm… So many.

1. Peace – of mind, of body, of living in harmony with work, people, studies, nature; of sitting on the porch and listening to squirrels bickering back and forth across the street, the distant hum of power tools as homeowners take advantage of this beautiful day to work outside, of having a Pepsi even though I know it’s bad for me because it reminds me of growing up and summer days like this; of living on a street where the only real ‘traffic’ is walkers, runners, and people on bicycles; of living three blocks from work…
2. Dr Mercola – for providing nice, weekly newsletters filled with more health advice than I could ever possibly absorb (like “don’t drink soda – or anything with high fructose corn syrup!” – but what’s worse than soda? diet soda). Thanks to him I’ve made some pretty big changes toward healthier foods (wild salmon, fresh veggies, minimal grains) and supplements (krill oil) that have helped to give me a nice boost in energy and mood these last few months.
3. This Summer – not just any summer, but this summer. First, mother nature pulled off a 10.0, sparing us from record dry heat of past years while still giving lots of warm, clear days like this one. Next, I’ve had a surge of adventures with friends old and new, seeing more of my home state than in any past year I can remember. After the preceding ten months, with its fill of bumps and bruises, these last three have been just what the doctor ordered (thanks.).
4. New Beginnings – though I can hardly believe it, today marks the last day of summer break here at the University. So while I continue to take a vacation from one job, my second, as an assistant to the Buddhism professor, starts up in class on Tuesday. New work, new faces, new journeys in samsara.
5. Clean air – something easy to notice when you don’t have it, as in densely populated (and high traffic) areas or when forest fires burn upwind of you. These days we’ve had plenty of clear skies and clean air… 🙂

May we all find these things in all of our lives, where ever we are. Let joy spread and sorrows cease. For we all at least have this, this precious human life.