Gratitude

I feel so grateful for the life I have. Yes, it is very difficult at times, and yes I would rather my daughter did not have to struggle so much and yes I'm scared about the financial crunch and yes and yes and yes, but.....

How wonderful is this life? We get to wake up everyday and start anew. We get to breathe and laugh and talk and learn new things and cuddle our children and drink tea on cold days (like today) and revel in the color of the leaves. I just feel so much gratitude today I feel like I could burst through my own skin. And all this gratitude is for such simple things. I don't have to go looking for anything -- it is all right here, surrounding me.

There is the sound of the birds chattering in the tree outside my window -- I love that sound. There is the wind rushing through the leaves and making them drop like a colorful rain shower on our front lawn, there is the tea cup warming my hands so I can type, there is my favorite dog in the whole wide world laying on my feet to keep me warm - (thanks Henry.) There is a sweetest sound in the world emanating from the next room - my daughter's laughter. There are the magical dreams I have at night that take me to amazing places and on wonderful adventures with people I do not even really know (but they seem like lifelong friends when I'm in that other world.) And there are the real friends that I get to see in my waking hours -- Carmel, Christine, Julie, Chesky, Josh Y, and all my inspiring students as well (who are really more like friends, if you ask me. )

I am so lucky. It's hard to remember that all the time, isn't it? Sometimes it feels like we are living our life on some out-of-control merry go round or roller coaster (take your pick) and there is barely enough time to even be grateful because everything is moving soooo fast. But today, this chilly Sunday afternoon, I feel like I cannot thank God enough for the gift of this life. What in the world can I give Him in return? Nothing is big enough.