Today's 100 Gratitudes

I am grateful:

1. That we have a nice little show today
2. And I can finish that book with them
3. And practice their other song
4. And finish the poetry. These things are creative.
5. That I played the piano last night. May have been premature with my thumb. The computer keyboard is much gentler than the piano keyboard. But I’m glad I felt the happy urge
6. That my mother called about that money. May it come through. And bless her for it. And I’m thankful that it made me feel good.
7. And that it made J feel good too
8. And that he said we could go out to eat the three of us and gave the day
9. And that same day he and I could go see his mother
10. And he said the word us when discussing the money
11. And Ph was okay, despite her throwing up and pooping all over the house yesterday
12. And that he was here to clean it.
13. And that him cleaning it would calm her; she wouldn’t feel my stress
14. And that I felt hope when I lay on the couch
15. And that A called. I was asleep and will call her back, but it was nice that she called
16. And that I slept through the night
17. And that yesterday I really started something that had been sort of starting before them: noticing things for my gratitudes. So the first change was that I started including things about other people. And the next change, now is that I stay in a state of gratitude longer throughout the day, because I am looking for things to be grateful for.
18. That I got that angel e-mail from S
19. And passed it on.
20. That actually, I did get a little good news at about the exact time, which was A saying it was fine to hand in the poems a day later. And big good news later that day, which was about the money and then J. So – wow!
21. Mar wrote back to me and said she would pray for me too. Now I shall add her to my prayer list
22. That J even mentioned the health fair thing and that if two people go you save 5 dollars or something, and that he’s not sure if he’ll be going, but.
23. That it is coming: )
24. That you for the peace, Dear God, I had just now when praying the God Our Father prayer.
25. America, and my freedoms here
26. Freedom of speech
27. Freedom of religion
28. Freedom to vote
29. Freedom to protest peacefully
30. Freedom to be educated for and have any career, job I want
31. Freedom to live where I want as long as I earn the money to
32. Finally reaching the stage in my life where I understand I am not a princess and must work (they do too anyway!)
33. Finally not caring to compare, like is this fair, I already have a job stuff, regarding J. And maybe he feels it, the difference.
34. Freedom to walk the streets
35. To have a dog
36. To drive
37. To go to stores
38. To an education
39. To read
40. To books and not censored
41. To movies and not censored (I don’t mind censoring not showing real murders – I mean not censoring beyond that)
42. To have or not have children (I’m not talking about abortion here)
43. To go to doctor(s) of my choice
44. The freedom to travel
45. The freedom to have my medicines
46. The freedom to socialize. To gather with friends
47. Nobody is bullying me now for the sake of bullying. I remember when that was happening, with Chris(?) who lived behind me
48. That today, April 6, I have told God I *know * I cannot be abstinent from will. I truly know it. And have asked for his help. AND made sure I had the food around and ready to help me with it: to help me follow his help. Thank you, God, for that all.
49. “It is not a sign of pride, but humility to know that I am unique and beautiful.” From today’s For Today. Maybe humble, having looked it up, means “perspective on ourselves.” So that does make sense and I’m grateful I read it. I need that.
50. “In Step Eleven we are challenged to actively seek to improve our relationship with our Higher Power in the same way we might develop our relationship, by taking the time on a regular basis to be with HP.” From today’s Voices of Recovery. That I am doing that now.
51. And yesterday not just in the morning, but throughout the day. Asking. And I think even thanking. And asking God to *be with me. *
52. That that just made me learn how important the *taking the time to be with * is in any relationship. I was not doing that with J. I was just vegging next to him, in resentment and fear and pride and ick. Now I know better. May I have the chance.
53. I am grateful that I may.
54. That coffee helps me poop.
55. “By taking care of myself, I have more energy to give to others.” From today’s In This Moment meditation book. I have heard that all my life. I have sometimes, in fact, fought it. Because I felt like taking care of self for self should be enough. But then again I haven’t done that. And somehow, this morning, I am able to see it that way, from that page the “If I don’t, I become frazzled and my family suffers,” idea, which also is selfish in a good way…
56. The authenticity of my work here
57. Banks, and that we have access to them (me, my mother, J…)
58. Bowling. And the time recently J and I did it. It was so fun.
59. Caring. When I care for the children. For my friends. For my mother. For J. For other family, like his nieces and nephews. For Ph. When others care for me. And when others care for others.
60. Crying and the release it brings.
61. Clapping and that I try to teach my classes to do it. It helps the people on the stage, and it helps them with empathy.
62. The step work I did with Rh, and the looking up definitions that was part of it (for steps 1, 2, 3, using the aa questions). Because it is what helps me to think to look up the definition now, like humility humble, and resentments, to help me better understand step 4.
63. That the phone just rang, as I’m working step 4, and it was M because I’d left a message yesterday at 4:30 asking her to call me (which I tried to make sure sounded fine as it was) but she got it and was worried.
64. Haydn
65. Glasses
66. Reading glasses
67. Bifocals
68. Bifocal sunglasses
69. That I didn’t check timer during meditation today until there were second to go! (Usually until now, it has been at about 5 minutes: )
70. Legos for the class
71. And that I bought some for them
72. Ry helping me buy the ones that they’d have to be creative with
73. That I had delicious and healthyful veggies Chinese food last night
74. And today for lunch
75. And later for dinner
76. That Jodi gave me free tech help with my blog today!
77. That I am sipping bottled water now
78. That I’m enjoying eating in the teacher’s room this year, including today: )
79. That my dr comes tofay
80. That I *can * go to a meeting if I want
81. Bunnies
82. Batteries, especially rechargeable ones
83. That I found my missing classroom key : )
84. Picture books
85. Crayons
86. Markers
87. Cray pas
88. Highlighters
89. Colored pencils
90. A’s poem
91. Electric sharpener
92. And that T gave me a good one, because I was putting in the time in the summer
93. My amazing play that we did
94. The letter I wrote for D.A.
95. Pink. I finally appreciate it again, I think
96. MA’s pink bubble and sweeping it out and patching it up and making it all nice and safe and cozy idea
97. Snowflakes
98. Wheels
99. Baseball cards, and how good they used to make J feel
100. Bea Arthur
101. Rue McClenehan
102. Estelle Getty
103. Betty White