My 100 Gratitudes Today

I am grateful: 1. I am so grateful for doggie! 2. And that she is here! 3. And that I feel her in bed at night. Oh how wonderful. 4. And that I am “forced” to play with her a little. 5. Because I’ve been hermitting the last two days, I am especially grateful that I have to take my mother shopping today. 6. And that Christmas is tomorrow and I shall give her a nice day here. 7. I’m grateful for the lessons of this doggie, like, “Go to where the fun is!” 8. And, “Eat only enough – not more.” Yes! A DOG! 9. And, “Live. In. The. MOMENT!!!” 10. And I’m grateful for the lessons from the last doggie, a very different one. Including, “Always sit as close as you can to the music.” 11. And, “Be gentle. Shhh. Quiet. Gentle. Always.” 12. I’m grateful that this place will HAVE TO be straightened today. No choice, really, as mother coming tomorrow. 13. And for this yesterday: Quiet sweet, “Bap,” from outside (fenced in yard). I opened door further so she could get in. I said gently, “Get your toy.” She went out, scrambled through the leaves and got it. So cute. Pranced in with it. My little darling. 14. I am grateful that I watched a lot of the movie Marie Antoinette yesterday. 15. Followed by all of Sleeping with the Enemy. 16. A real girlie day. How luxurious to be able to afford one. Not like working 7 days a week in a factory. . . 17. And that I, for the first time in over a month, ENJOYED some time alone. 18. And that I them bought the Marie Antoinette book by Antonia Fraser. 19. Mosaics 20. The huge pool one in the park whose work my father helped supervise. 21. That my piano playing went better yesterday! 22. That these composers’ works still save me. Finally and still. So thankful. 23. Every comment I’ve ever received here. 24. That I am not living in guilt like I was last Monday! 25. That I am not living in the incredible fear and guilt I was a few years ago. I hadn’t even done anything! It had to do with my own thoughts when J. first left me. Oy. 26. I am grateful that my legs and arms work such that it will make my straightening today much easier than if I were less physically able. 27. This, “I will see the whole view in time. I see part of it daily. My mosaic is right and good and need my stumbles.” I need that. 28. “Be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides.” Carl Sagan 29. Facebook. Finally I’m USING it, not just logged there. And it’s nice to be in touch with people! 30. That despite all the things I dislike intensely about my life, I feel as ok as I do! 31. The concept of impermanence. It’s helping me enjoy the moment. Like the times with doggie: ) 32. This: “This holiday season, I will give myself permission to take care of myself.” 33. My treadmill. 34. I’m about to be given an iPad! As a gift! Yaaay! 35. Brewed coffee this morning, and instant too! 36. Fruits 37. Vegetables. 38. This: “"Celebration is a forgetting in order to remember. A forgetting of ego, of problems, of difficulties. A letting go." Matthew Fox” I used to do that every weekend, by escaping to vacations at L’s (or sometimes him coming here). And I shall do it tomorrow. And be careful with my money and find ways to do it more too! 39. And I shall do this tomorrow, for my mother: “Today, I will set my ego aside and let go of the usual things in my life in order to reach out to others and participate in celebration.” 40. Thich Nhat Hanh 41. Mindfulness 42. Breathing 43. And breathing meditation too 44. The song, This Pretty Planet 45. The song, “We Are All the Leaves of One Tree” 46. Lessons from students. So many. 47. That I’ve had this job. For so long. And still have it. It has enriched MY life so much, BESIDES allowing me to help OTHERS! SO fortunate. 48. My piano. And that it is all mine. 49. My emails with A. 50. M, who is having a good time in Florida 51. That MA is having a wonderful time. This is something she’s dreamt of for years and years – her grown children, one’s spouse and child, staying over at her house, like the “homestead.” I’m so happy she’s – they’re – having that today. 52. Li and all the help he gave me. 53. My English teacher in high school. 54. My second grade friend, R. 55. ML. And that I got to see her last week. 56. Roseanne repeats. They’re still cheering me up : ) 57. Beginning to read the Marie Antoinette book yesterday. And enjoying it so far. 58. Spelt toast with veg pepperoni and veg Havarti cheese and pimento. 59. Blueberry applesauce. Such luxuries. 60. This affirmation: “My views and opinions are important and I choose to be heard.” I need that! 61. And this one too: “Life is an adventure and I choose to live it fully.” 62. This quote from George Carlin: “Trying to be happy by accumulating possessions is like trying to satisfy hunger by taping sandwiches all over your body.” 63. Every hour 64. Books 65. My Nook 66. Electricity 67. Flashlights 68. Heat 69. Wood floors 70. “My” oak tree 71. Water 72. Breath. Breath breath breath 73. That I have flown in airplanes. 74. And safely. 75. That I can move my limbs 76. And breathe on my own 77. Every time I’ve meditated 78. And all the people who’ve helped me with it. Especially G, and TNH, and J. and TNH’s monks and nuns. 79. That song to Avalokiteśvara. 80. My Buddhist name that they picked for me, “True Compassion of the Heart.” 81. My dishwasher. 82. My washing machine 83. A basement, in which to hang clothes to dry 84. And a dryer for the towels and things 85. A shower 86. And a toilet 87. And a bathroom sink 88. Soap 89. Shampoo 90. Conditioner 91. A nail salon to which I can walk. Haven’t been there in months, but will this week! 92. THAT I will this week! 93. Every pedicure I’ve ever had. 94. Every massage I’ve ever had. 95. That I am not as NAUSEATINGLY – literally – shy as I was 11 years ago! 96. That I am able to work every day I need to. 97. Life. 98. So grateful to BE grateful for life. I certainly wasn’t always! 99. My hair 100. My teeth.