The power of Gratitude

I am grateful for:

• My kind, funny husband.
• This wonderful community.
• Living in a safe, secure home.
• Our dear neighbor up the street who, during his early morning doggie walks, always delivers our morning newspaper to our front door.
• Chocolate!

I am grateful for many things, but today, in particular:

- this wonderful cool weather we are having.

- a trip to a local park with both of my girls (got them out of the house!) where we enjoyed the full, gorgeous community gardens which are bursting with blossoms and colors! Took tons of photos.

- our cozy little house that we have been fixing up more this summer and finally going through some more basement boxes.

- this wonderful community of light that we are a part of here. You all lift me up so much!

- My job and my husband's job, both of which we can do from home during this time.

- and yes - chocolate! :)

@jeanne-mayell

Ah shucks!  

?

I am so thankful for and appreciate so much that I

> Have a roof over my head - that allows me to be warm and safe and dry and that I share with my animal family consisting of dog, cats and goats and shelters them also.

> I am grateful that I have a yard that I can feed the birds and the squirrels and chipmunks and possums and occasional armadillo and raccoon in and enjoy their beauty, companionship and antics and garden to grow veggies and flowers and rest with Mother Nature

> I am grateful for being able to draw the small amount of social security I get that allows me to survive and maintain thus far and that I will get health insurance through Medicare starting in September. It is more than many have at this time. I am grateful I have enough to pay all my bills on time "NOW"

> that I and my critters.. have enough to eat and share if anyone stops by in hunger. That we have food to put in our bellies and don't go to bed either hungry or thirsty.

> I am grateful and thankful for my daughter and my son ... who have my back and care for me and anything I need between if I but ask.

>I am thankful that none of my children are school-aged nor do I have grandchildren in school nor are my children teachers...even as I pray with all my might for the safety and well-being of the families that do.

> I am thankful for a good cup of coffee in the morning and a tall glass of ice tea in the afternoon. I am cognizant of and thankful for so many things!!!  ... the Ordinary Miracles https://youtu.be/GQejBUDjQsQ

I am grateful for:

* My daughter

* The amazing childhood my mother gifted me

* My cats, especially my best friend Holly who lived with me for 19 years

* My amazing friends who put up with me 

* My students and all that they teach me every day

* Having a steady job, nice house and food on the plate

* That there is still forgiveness and a chance of redemption for anyone

* Meeting good people (including those on this forum!)

* Inspiration

* Nature

* This beautiful world: may it persevere

I have so much to be grateful for:

• My husband who is solid and sure and funny as hell.  
• My children and grandchildren who bring me such joy.
• My daughters in law who treat me with such kindness and inclusiveness.  
• My God and my guides who watch over me and lead me through life.
• My dogs who amuse me, comfort me, make endless demands of me and are always within the sound of my voice.  All the dogs of my life, from childhood to present, who are still with me on the other side of the veil.
• My mother who is with me in spirit now, but blessed me by her presence for 69 years.  
• All my parents, step siblings, half sibling, brother and sister who enriched my life endlessly.  My family is extensive.  You need a chart and a pointer to keep track of them.  Sometimes, even in opposition, I learned to persevere and believe the best of them.  I learned to endure dust ups and to value their love more completely and appreciatively as time went on.
• My friends of a lifetime, my friends of a season, my friends in art, my friends in meditation, my wise women of intuition.
• All of the difficult individuals I ever worked with.  I learned life lessons from every one of them, how to stand up for myself and how to endure difficult situations.  From them, I learned to look beyond their troublesome behaviors to their sadder pasts, conflicts and disappointments and see their human suffering. 
• Every disappointment of my life.  Every single one shaped me, molded me and toughened me up to endure the unfairness of life.

I want to try and 5 write the things I am grateful for for a whole week.  Since I did not accomplish my task yesterday, I will write 10.

-  Zoom, to stay connected to friends and family.

- Facetime, for the same reasons.

- Washing machines.  There was about a year in my life when we didn't have one and never want to forget how appreciative I am to have one. 

- Tiki Masala

-Chocolate cake, homemade

-Peppermint

-Electricity

- The internet

-Air conditioning 

-hummingbirds

@michele-b

You did this with a pull down ladder?  Wow.

One positive thing about this pandemic has been cleaning out things.  I did a big first round but I now need to do round 2 .  There were some things we saved for my eldest and her move to Texas.  Now we will tackle what is left over.  I also need to tackle 5 boxes we acquired in February that were my mother in-law's ( of blessed memory).  It figures that I am the one left to figure out what to do with boxes of memories since all my husband's siblings live out of state and can't do it themselves because of COVID. 

@lovendures  Your gratitude list made me laugh out loud.  Air-conditioning and hummingbirds. 

@jeanne-mayell

?

I thought I would jump in on the gratitude train too!

Even though we don't have power, internet or land line phones (may not till next week sometime) I'm grateful for:

 My husband, who is not only my right-hand, funny best friend, my"pool boy", my Mr. fix it, my internet techi and and all around handyman, he single handedly chopped up the 3 trees that fell across our 650 ft. driveway, rolled the wood to the side so that we and our neighbors can be higher on the list for the power company to come and reinstall the power lines strewn across our driveway and the road.

 A GENERATOR (still using as we speak since our power is out)

 Air conditioning

 Good wine and food

 A home with a pool (and our dragonfly friends lol)

 The internet (using my iphone hotspot) and my job (can't do one without the other)

 My family and close friends, and this forum of beautiful friends and souls

? ? 

@triciact

What a great post Tricia!  That is a long time to be without power, a generator would certainly be a blessing.  Has finding gas for the generator been an issue?  Sounds like your husband has been very busy.

@lovendures

Hi Lovendures! we've been using power conservatively. Funny thing is the gas company just filled up our tank about 5 days before we lost power. We are not even half way through the usage yet. We only put the ac on in the room we're in, use the gas grill to cook, and I've been swimming without the heater on (cooler water but since it's so warm out it's great!). We turn things off when we're not using them. Hopefully we'll get the gas company to come out early next week if needed. Yes my hubby has certainly been getting a work out! All that wood chopping, yard clean up, pool cleaning, etc. lol!!

5 things I am grateful for today

-Arizona sunsets.  Yes they really are that incredible.  

-Geckos.  They are cute, and eat bugs like termites.   They also bring pure joy and excitement to my dog who will see one on the window and let the entire household know one has been found

-when a package  arrives at my front door safe and sound.

-take out from a favorite restaurant, especially during a pandemic.  It brings me joy to know the business is still surviving all the challenges  presented to them.  It also brings into our home a bit of normalcy and comfort.

-Two teacher friends  I know who began virtual teaching this week and were ecstatic to meet their new students.  

-

@lovendures, laughing, I am grateful that your post made me laugh and think of several funny things and one extra thing I'm grateful for.

First, my dog does that with skunks. Lets the whole house know, and the whole neighborhood when there is one outside.  

But I can't think of what I'd be grateful for about skunks.  Let's see, they dig up my lawn. Hmm.  But, they are so cute the way they waddle when they walk, especially if they are walking away from you.

Also I will always be grateful to a mother skunk who, a few years ago, warned me to get away when I accidentally bumped into her while crawling around in the dark under my barn. She saw me first and starting pounding her fists on the ground while staring anxiously into my eyes. She telepathically said to me, "I don't want to hurt you, but I will, if you come any closer!" I swiveled around fast and scrambled away as quickly as possible. I have always been grateful to Mrs. Skunk for warning me before pulling the trigger. I learned from this, gratefully, that many animals don't want to hurt you unless they have to, and that thought makes me feel good. 

The thought that geckos are a thing around your house reminds me, and I'm grateful for being able to learn this, that you live in a whole other climate world than I.  

I am grateful for my parents, they adopted me when I was 9 months old and gave me a big, loud, Italian family with the most amazing grandmother.    I believe we were connected in another life.  We were always so close and even had matching birth marks. 

I am grateful for my husband, my 4 children and my grandchildren.    I am grateful for  my tribe of extended family. 

I am grateful that we are all healthy and are working.   I am grateful that I know there is a God and that all souls are precious, even if some try your last nerve.

i am grateful for our home that provides shelter, peace and comfort.  I’m so grateful for fiends that are like family.   
I am grateful that I take nothing for granted.  I am grateful for beautiful sunsets, animals, trees all things in nature.   I’m grateful I get to watch the birds feed each day.   

I'm grateful that I found this place and now have new friends that are just as dear even though we’ve never met.  I’m grateful for the comfort, peace and fellowship this forum provides.  All caring souls here.  

Im so grateful of so many things that it would be too long to mention.  I am abundantly blessed. 

I am grateful for:

My health, each and every day.

My husband who is a homebody, a master tinkerer and handyman and can fix most anything around the house.

My daughter who was married yesterday.  It was bittersweet because Covid kept the family away.  I'm grateful for her brilliant future!

My son who is the rock of his family, who has taken his mother-in-law into their home, and is such a caring, loving, hardworking man.

Having a challenging job that keeps my mind working, although most days I want to quit.

My belief system, my gift of recognizing Truth.

Honey. I believe it has protected me from illness.

The swimming pool that I've always wanted and have enjoyed since moving here last year.

This community.

If you live in gratitude, you will never want for things, but good things will come to you anyway!

@lowtide congratulations on your daughter’s wedding.  Blessings for a beautiful union and future.  ❤️

@lowtide

Congratulations on your daughter's wedding.  It may not have been the wedding envisioned but hopefully it was filled with love.

Things I am grateful for today

-Waterfalls and rainbows

-The fresh crisp scent of a pine forest

-The smell of saltwater and the sound of crashing ocean waves

-organically grown produce

-the scent and beauty of a rose

@lowtide, congrats on that wedding! I cannot imagine the feeling of seeing your little one all grown up like that. Hugs all around ❤️