Eternally Grateful

"For each new morning with its light, 

For rest and shelter of the night, 

For health and food, 

for love and friends, 

For everything Thy goodness sends."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

I always start out the same.
Grateful. Oh, so grateful.

I am grateful for a winter without the harsh, cruel snow and frozen landscape that used to reflect an inner reality.

I am grateful for green leaves, fragile but brave flowers, and a gentle breeze that picks and plays with my hair.

I'm grateful for knowledge, wisdom and new ideas to explore.

I'm grateful for beautiful souls and minds that are willing to explore those ideas with me.

I'm grateful for lofty things, but the mundane, as well. I'm grateful for coffee cups that make me smile.

I'm grateful for college bookstores and clearance racks at my favorite clothing store.

I'm grateful for comfortable shoes, and my warm, comforting robe.

I'm grateful for products that make me feel pretty and that smell good.

I'm grateful for silly ringtones on my phone and for only having 12 credits this quarter.

I'm grateful for smiles and uncontrollable laughter. I'm grateful for friendly, sarcastic comments and feeling connected to others.

I'm grateful for knowing and for being known.

I'm grateful for clean water, fresh air, gasoline in my gas tank, and hugs from my children.

I'm grateful for a safe place to lay my head at the end of the day and a walk-in closet to accommodate my tendency to accumulate too many items of apparel.

I'm grateful for technology, even when it's irritating.

I'm grateful for scholarships and grants and kind people to help me navigate registering for fall.

I'm grateful for hard work because it makes me appreciate the time for relaxing.

I'm grateful for good films and engaging music.

I'm grateful for all my senses;
to smell the sweet pastries from the bakery,
to hear the sound of humanity,
to see the beauty all around me,
and touch...the touch of gentle fingers that care.
I'm so very grateful for all the wonders I taste through my senses.

I'm grateful for opportunities to travel, and for the experience of new people and places.

I'm grateful for artists...all types.

I'm grateful we are all different and unique.

I'm grateful for time,
time to love and time to live,
time to breath and time to enjoy,
time to feel and time to experience.
I'm grateful for all the time we are given.

And, I'm always grateful when I have just a little more time to turn in the next assignment.