A Youtube friend of recent aquaintance (http://www.youtube.com/mahanomi) challenged people to journal on 10 things to be grateful for and to post it as a video response. I don’t know if I’ll do that or not but the idea intrigued me enough to do it. So in no particular order (and I’m not sticking to 10 as once I started contemplating the things I feel gratitude for I found it hard to stop. Which as far as problems go would be one I would wish for everyone
- My Family – Aaron, Zev, Amanda and our various pets. Each in their own was has been such a gift to me. Aaron and I have been together for 12 years. We are so different in outlook yet we share a language and interests. He has done amazing work in his field and he is one of the most creative, thoughtful people I have ever met. Zev, my son and teacher. Now twelve, with all the challenges that brings. He is so full of life, love and energy. We have so many commonalties tho he is totally his own person with astonishing presence and self-posession. Amanda, my foster daughter, who has helped me so much with developing and using my empathy. Our Various pets (Rufus, Maggie, Brownie, Princess, Luke)
- My Senses and my ability to perceive the phenomenal world – The Navajo have a beautiful prayer / greeting, “May you walk in beauty”. It has taken me many years to realize how much of that has to do with attitude and outlook towards life. Now more often than not, I have been seeing beauty express itself in my life way more often even with things that I once would have found off-putting.
- Souce, Spirit, The Way, God – However you wish to refer to that higher power from which we come, who’s nature is unconditional love.
- My Imagination- We all have this amazing ability to create something from nothing. We can see how the world can become a better place and make it so. We can see how we may become better, happier, more centred and evolved people and make ourselves so.
- The Earth-Mother and Provider. Forests, Beaches, Mountains, Cities.
- The Sun
- Animals
- The amazing group of family and friends I have found in cyberspace- I have met so many amazing people from all over the world. I have shared laughter, tears, thoughts, beliefs, art, poetry, music and so much love.
- My Parents – who raised me to believe that I could be anything that I wanted and showed me that there may be barriers along the way. They have been amazingly supportive.
- This journey of discovery that I’ve been on
- People (including Government, Religious or Corporate entities ) whom anger or frustrate me because they too show me who I am and areas in which I need to grow
- My art and writing- Self-expression rocks. Finding ways in which I can express myself rocks even harder
- Music-Of all kinds, so central to my life.
- Books, Poetry, Blogs, Videos, Art, Movies, Theater – We have so many ways in which we convey who we are and our views / experience of the universe. Through these forms of communication, we are able to commune with voices from the past, present and reach out to those who come after us.. We walk and fly on the shoulders of giants.
- My Own Being- Within me, as within all of us, universes exist. I have found vast potential to love, grow and grow in love
- The time in which I live- There has been a spiritual and societal awakening that has been happening in the world that each month it seems becomes more and more prevalent. There also seems to be a counter-movement towards that but its fascinating to view this.
- This exercise