Tuesday's special: Ten free thoughts of gratitude. Thank you.

Happy Tuesday morning! In the spirit of warming my own fearful mind on a cold day, I am sending a gratitude list into the ether. Every day. Even on the worst of them...I find something to revel in, laugh for, and acknowledge the many blessings (big and small) that exist in every moment if you pay attention to the positive. 



10 Things to be grateful about RIGHT NOW:
1. The way children (and my baby boy) wakes up in simplicity and happiness. A clear slate of unvarnished joy.  Always smiling to greet the day. When did we let our minds change that?

2. The pride-swelling moment you realize your daughter/son is MORE talented that you ever conceived!  So much so, that you ( read:I) end up watching her sing (She performs in "School of Rock" shows) 20 times to believe "I made that person...in my body...and she's her OWN"

3. The sweet feel of a warm breeze on exposed skin makes you want smile and laugh, and take the weight on your shoulders a little more lightly. More importantly, how the SUN brings out the beach baby in my five year old.

4. The gift you give by telling people you love that you love them....randomly and unexpected. It is a healthy addiction...making people's day. 

5. Sunshine. Your breath. The absence of any physical disability, pain, or incompetency RIGHT NOW. 

6. The possibility of your future. One minute from now, one hour, one week, one decade, one lifetime. It is all happening and it all changes, opens up and allows for anything...Accept that, and run with the gift of it. 

7. Finding Friendships that make you feel safe, let you laugh at life, yourself and the continuum of your mistakes despite their best efforts. Friendship helps us stand up, step back and step up!

8. A good joke with perfect timing and after shocks of giggletude. 

9. Facebook and the (sometimes annoying) ability to reconnec, sure, with all kinds of past haunts, associates, memories BUT also its ability to make you feel like people ARE around, and interested in your life....even if on a seemingly-superficial electronic wave. Bottom line is we DO care enough to check, comment and update. That's something. 

10. Heart flutters and stomach pangs....from the hot per

son in line at Starbucks, the cubicle over, the child at the front door when you get home, or the lover in the bed waiting for you. It rocks. 

Love hard, give more and spend a little time being grateful today. Make a list no matter what your mood. I dare you to stay blurry, or crabby or blah after one...

Somehow, somewhere the positive vibes reverberate through you, bounce out and spill all over the world around you.