GRATITUDE 09.14.12

GRATITUDE 09.14.12 So, I haven’t been nearly as devoted to my blog as I had hoped, but all things in time, I suppose. I’m finding that as I reevaluate my priorities, goals and schedule, I’m being more focused. Hopefully, the blog is the next focus. I like to pause on Friday evenings and contemplate the things for which I am grateful. This week, I am once again most grateful for my friends. Last night I had an opportunity to speak with my dear friend Morgan. Neither of us enjoys talking on the phone, but it was such a great conversation, and it’s so great when there’s someone in your life, even if from a distance, who totally “gets” you. She and I talked about our families and dynamics to which we both totally relate. Today, I was able to share with Lee and Jane via text messages information Morgan had shared with me. These are three people who know me well, and who have been there through most of the biggest events of my life. It’s good to know that there are people who know the details of my life and are able to support me from a completely different vantage point than someone who hasn’t known me as long or who doesn’t understand—or doesn’t want to understand the dynamics and nuances through which I have gone. This week I’m grateful for the simplicity of a quiet evening, for the solace I’ve found through my piano, and for the little bits of growth I go through each and every day. Each day, I’m discovering, is a day or re-creation, a day of discovering new paths to myself, new paths to peace and new paths to joy. I’m finding peace in the most incredible places—within myself—and from the encouragement of people who love me. I’m daily grateful for a job-two jobs actually. I’m grateful for a place to live, and that each day I’m blessed to wake up healthy and, while there are plenty of items on my “want” list. In essence, everything I need I already have. I’m even grateful for the furry creatures who allow me to share a home with them. While I’m not the best cat daddy they could have, I hope they know that I do love them. I know they are growing older, elderly and I know that they may be around for 5 or 6 more years or they may be around 5 or 6 more months. I hope that I show them enough love. As I type this my fat orange cat is lying beside me on the bed. Sometimes I just wish he could speak to me and tell me what’s going on. I’m grateful and blessed. Here’s my confession: It’s easy to take for granted just about everything in our lives. Sometimes it takes losing everything to realize just how very much you have. I pray I never have to endure that. What I do know is that I have some of the most incredible people in my life. I may have mentioned you tonight, or I may not have, but my love for you is deep either way. Each day, I’m becoming a better me. I’m becoming, I hope, a better friend. Each day, I’m reminded of the precious gift of life, the fleeting vapor of life, and I am filled with gratitude to the source who makes all things possible.

GRATITUDE 08.24.12

GRATITUDE 08.24.12 I cannot believe it has been nearly a year since my last blog post. It’s time to set aside the laziness and fatigue and start writing again. What a better way to dust off the ol’ blog than to start with my weekly gratitude blog! Of all the blessings I have in my life, I have to say that I am most grateful for a loving, supportive group of friends. They ARE my family. I am grateful for people who accept me as I am, with my flaws, my lack of a filter and my quirky idiosyncrasies and give me love in spite of myself. Over the last year there has been a myriad of changes in my life—perhaps the biggest is that my temporary position ended and I began a permanent position with the same company. While that has been a major change in my schedule and my income (not necessarily for the better), I constantly remind myself that I am blessed to have a place to go each day to work. I am grateful to have a few people I work with who make the job bearable, and while sometimes feel defeated and discouraged, I take comfort in knowing that I am apparently where I am supposed to be at this point in my life. There is a lesson to be learned, and I’m grateful for the journey. Music continues to be the balm that heals my soul, and the one thing about myself for which I am most proud. I’m grateful for the focus, skill and improvement I’ve made as a pianist in the last few months. I played for a wedding in July, and I felt the pressure (self-imposed) to step up my game. I learned new music and was even told by someone that I played the best in the six years they have known me. My piano is my pride and joy. I’m grateful for the challenges I’ve placed before myself. I am grateful for an opportunity I also had in July to visit with people I have not seen in well over 20 years. I attended the 20th High School reunion of the class I was part of from grades 2 through 9, before leaving for 10th grade at another school (from which I graduated). While I’ve been connected to many of my classmates through facebook, the time I spent with these people meant so very much to me. I was not the popular kid in elementary school or junior high, but it’s wonderful how well everyone is as an adults. Becoming reacquainted with some people I haven’t seen in all those years is definitely something for which I am most grateful, but the reunion itself stands out as one of the greatest nights of my life. I felt so alive, so comfortable in my own skin—and THAT is worth celebrating. Here’s my confession: I’ve missed writing this blog. I’m grateful for the love and encouragement of the people who read it. My life holds a lot of promise right now, and I am searching, endeavoring each day for ways to create myself anew. I’m grateful for friends who offer so much love and support. I’m grateful for my tomorrows because I see a lot of promise coming my way. Hopefully you’ll be reading more about my journey into myself as I continue to write. Know that if you are reading this, you are among a specially chosen group of people I love deeply, and for you, for the gifts you bring into my life, I am humbled and deeply grateful. Thank You.