Grateful

Day 12

If we’re not grateful, we’re slowly dying. It’s a excruciatingly slow death. It’s the kind of death that we’re not aware of. A spiritual death. The one that shows up in the recesses of our mind and stays there for days, weeks, months, years. It takes up precious space needed for creativity and love.

It’s better to have joy though it’s not always easy. Practicing gratefulness is why my mothers says her prayers. It’s what keeps us sane. It’s what keeps us alive. So today I’d like to talk about what I’m grateful for.

I’m grateful for my parents. Imperfect beings who loved me and still do. Not everyone is as lucky.

I’m grateful for my wife. Perfect being who loves me despite my imperfections. Can never pay her enough. I don’t deserve her and I’m grateful.

A whole list of friends and family — varying in degrees of closeness — but not degrees of importance in making my life whole. I love them. They love me. For that, I’m grateful.

I’m grateful for my mind. Of course it doesn’t always do what I want it to do, but it’s a blessing and it’s something I know has a lot of potential. I’m grateful for the opportunity to better it every day. I’m grateful for the unending process of sculpting my mental capacity into something that can do some good in the world for somebody, anybody. I’m grateful.

I’m grateful for my health and wellness. I’m grateful for runs, trips (to places and on stairs), bruises, sweat, blood and my heartbeat. I’m thankful for a bed. I’m thankful for sleep.

I’m grateful for my emotions and the opportunity to tame them. I’m grateful for the tears and the thunderous laughs. I’m grateful when they both collide through stories with loved ones about stupid memories. I’m grateful for anger and the opportunity to use it for advocacy.

I’m grateful for writing. I’m grateful for these ideas. I’m grateful for the opportunity to write here. For me. For someone. For Anyone. I’m grateful for a connection that might form. I’m grateful for the ability to tell stories. I’m grateful for the ability to express myself.

I’m grateful for purpose. I’m grateful the opportunity to find it through my ramblings. I’m grateful that someone else might find theirs through my ramblings. I’m grateful for the opportunity to read other people’s ramblings. I’m grateful for the pieces of my purpose I found through other people’s ramblings.

I’m grateful for my ramblings. I’m grateful that I have finally embraced them. I’m grateful that I’m not perfect. I’m grateful that I’m nowhere close. I’m grateful for every day I get a chance to get closer to this imperfect being. The more I get to know him, the more he can shine through. The more he can love himself so he can properly love the world.

I’m grateful for you, whoever you are.

I feel better now, because I’m grateful. I hope you do too.