The Grateful Thread

Gratitude is one of the most powerful forms of expression. When it is honest, I feel that gratitude can honestly, permanently change lives.

I am grateful for many things, but these I am grateful for most of all:
My life, for the air I breathe and the water I drink.
My wife, who supports me with every fiber of her being.
My children, who remind me daily that life is not all work.
My friends, who I share my support with and receive back in kind.
The great philosophers, leaders, and masters who have passed on, leaving a legacy to surpass.
The wise philosophers, leaders, and masters of the day, who have enough patience to teach and learn at the same time.
TOTJO, where I found there is no tunnel, let alone a light at the end of it.
You, whoever may be reading this, that you took the time to read this thread.

Take the time and give thanks to others!

I'm grateful the pope said the following:

The worship of the ancient golden calf (cf. Ex 32:1-35) has returned in a new and ruthless guise in the idolatry of money and the dictatorship of an impersonal economy lacking a truly human purpose.

I am grateful for every experience that I go through,
we are stronger than we think and love comes in many forms.

I am honestly grateful for every aspect of my life right now. I am in my home state, happily married with a new daughter, I work at a place I frequented as a teen, on my way to becoming the manager, and I truly love my job. I have an older daughter who is living in Maryland, who is old enough to email and call me and all the signs that she is becoming her own person fill me with joy, and I am so glad she is having adventures with her mom, who is still a good friend of mine. My wife makes me laugh every minute and I am helping her learn not to sweat the small stuff. I am learning so much from this temple and revisiting the ip, I feel so lucky to have a community of incredible minds that is willing to accept me here, I am excited to become more and more a part of it. Sincerely there is not a part of every day that I forget how lucky I am and how grateful I am for it.
It helps to have a picture window that looks out on the Atlantic ocean, as well. Starting each day with a seaside sunrise and a cup of coffee, what more is there???

I give thanks to all that support me,
to everything that moves me,
to the trees, to the sea,
to the host of divinity.

In the flowers by the house
are the secrets that do abound,
see them on the holy mound,
beneath of which there is no sound.

I give thanks to all that sustain me,
everything I taste around me,
to the fruit in the trees,
to the voice of divinity.

In the tree beside the house
are the secrets that do abound,
running through the sacred ground,
making all their sacred sounds.

I tell you it is the way, my dear,
when the trees become our seers.

Gratefulness

I am grateful for the eyes that I can see
the activities that can be done by me.
I am grateful for the ears that I may hear
the sobbing of those who need me near.

I am grateful for the lips that I might speak
words of comfort and peace to all who seek.
I am grateful for a mind that I might know
how to aid those who need me so.

I am gratedul for the hands that I might do
some arduous or simple task for you.
I am grateful for the ability to always pray
to give me strength and guidance everyday.

I am grateful for one thing, all else above
that I was given a heart, that I may love.

Joseph T. Renaldi

Grateful that we can rant/share pain with one another.

And grateful we have this thread to share good times as well,

Life is so diverse sometimes!

I'm grateful for a sharp razor that cuts hair well.
I'm grateful for steaming hot showers.
I'm grateful for wool socks.
I'm grateful for on-call mechanics who fixed the heat in my apartment this weekend.
I'm grateful that I have never been hungry because I couldn't afford food.

I don't know about any rules concerning double-posting, but I have something else I'd like to add.

I'm really freakin' grateful for nurses at the clinic who I can call on to consult when I'm afraid I messed up my treatment.

I am grateful for warm winter clothing and a functioning heater. The temperature here is unseasonably cold and likely to stay that way. (Unseasonably for my area means that right now it's 14* F with a wind chill at -5* F I'm sorry I don't know what that is in Celsius)

I am gratefull for: having a mind, self-awareness, self-determination and a mediocre of control over my destiny.

My kids
My wife
My friends
Tea
Books
Poetry
Films from my childhood
Bourbon
Cigarettes
Thick blankets
Pizza
Not having to go out when it's cold or wet or dark
Comforting emails.

Today I am grateful for the following (not an exclusive list!)

- a job where I'm treated like an individual, not a 'drone' to churn out work
- a fiance who can solve many things with a hug
- Jestor, who gives sage advice to my rants
- the many other members of TOTJO that I talk to and are the reason I come here
- that my 'worry' threshold has a release valve that lets me sort stuff out before I have a complete meltdown
- my friends, who put up with far much more from life than they deserve.

food, my dog, my kids, a pretty functional body all things considered, a nearly as functional mind. a place to sleep out of the cold or burning hot. not getting shot at or mortared.

Today I am grateful for, among many many things: sunshine, Anonymous 4 and their beautiful Gregorian chants, my cats, my husband, the quilt I got for my wedding and all that it represents. I am also extremely grateful to be a Jedi, and be part of our wider community.

I love winter holidays; the days getting darker is a perfect opportunity for reflection.

Although I'm not the biggest fan of the fact that I've always been very skinny, I am grateful for my naturally astronomical metabolism, and overall health regardless. I love being light on my feet. It goes well with my learning how to be light in heart and lean in my thinking (even if both of those aren't constants, after all its probably not recommended that they are).

My supportive family. They always do so much for me, even though my health is not great.

I'm grateful that, even though it's cold outside, I have ways to stay warm in here. That's...really big, actually.

I'm also grateful I just got the title of this thread. lol

Being able to go for walks again.
It's been too cold for the last week and I've really missed them.
Sunshine and fresh air - cold, fresh air.

I cannot see what there is to not be grateful about... :blush:
Every experience is a lesson. Every experience is an opportunity to learn from.

I am grateful about hope.
Possibility.
Growth and change.
As the Fall colors appear in the sunset skies, I am reminded of renewal, and the spirit of rebirth.
I am grateful about this thread, about reminders of gratuity...
I am now thankful for mushrooms, did not appreciate them before, oh are they tasty stuffed and lightly cooked...
I am grateful for tips that I live on, the people I work with, and the friends here, or there, and everywhere...
Loving family and friends who support and care about me.
I am thankful about the connection we share and the recognition of it.
I am grateful about forgiveness and acceptance.
I am grateful to the ones who give with no expectation in return.