My One Hundred Gratitudes Today

I am grateful: 1. Oh my gosh how marvelous I felt today out on my walk at lunchtime! I am SO glad that I did that! 2. I had decided to start walking every day for about 30 minutes. Well, 25 minutes makes more sense. And I am so glad for that decision. So I set the timer for 12 minutes and started walking. When it rang I turned around and reset it, walking back. This left a minute or so for me to keep walking to my classroom to put my jacket away and get my lunch. Then I ate in the teacher’s room. Frankly, the walking part was MUCH more exciting than the eating with the teachers part! : ) 3. The walk was beautiful – beautiful(!) weather 4. And it all smelled so good. Lots of areas of pine needles… 5. And this is one of the most exclusive areas on the planet. NOT WHERE I LIVE – WHERE I WORK! So it only makes sense to use it this way! Finally! : ) 6. I FELT so good. 7. And I decided after trying the actual “walking meditation,” that the breathing matching steps feature was not working for me. 8. And it was reminiscent of all those years when I walked SO MUCH. When I had 2 days off from work before my wedding, I actually went to the shopping center (outdoor mall) and walked for the better part of both days. And how many times I had done that anyway. 9. And even after living in this house, how would come home and walk to far side of park. 10. And years later, I used to come home and J would meet me downstairs in the car and I would change my pants and shoes right in the car as he drove us to walk for about 2 hours at the gardens! Oh, I LOVED those days. I am so grateful to have had them! 11. But there was NO sadness today. Just a feeling of great well-being! 12. And this am I did a Phys/Ment stretch with the kiddies. Spread out around room, stretchy exercise., followed by sit where you are guided meditation. Whole thing wasn’t 10 mintues but it was FANTASTIC! 13. And – it takes literally like 2 breaths for me to be CHANGED by meditation! 14. And *I * loved it. It was so good for me! 15. And for them too! 16. I am so grateful that walking feels so good to me. 17. And that it didn’t hurt my knee. 18. And that I was looking at BEAUTIFUL houses the whole time. 19. I am grateful that L. just called (shh). 20. Wed. morning now. I am so thankful for that relief yesterday. 21. And big-time for my mother’s relief. She seemed so different last night. 22. And that I did the right thing! 23. I am very grateful for today’s For Today! I needed that! 24. “I have the tools I need and helpers standing by.” Hmmmmm. 25. And: “For today: Am I comfortable within myself? Do I give myself the cleanliness, warmth and caring I need?” 26. And “when I am ready, my Higher Power removes stubborn defects I can do nothing about.” This is really so profound. 27. I am so grateful that I have heat. I didn’t last year at this time. 28. I am grateful that I woke up. 29. And so so so grateful that I am grateful I woke up. It was SO bad when I used to awaken, “Oh shit. I woke up.” This is a gift now and I am very grateful for it. 30. I’m beginning to think I really need meetings. Either way, I’m grateful for the thought. 31. My friendship with M. 32. Today’s In This Moment. And the thought of losing a lot of weight seeming insurmountable but just do a little regularly 33. And that that = just like my spiritual work. 34. My job. For giving me a source of living and for being a medium where I can add value to the world 35. That my parents paid for my college 36. My bed – for me to sleep comfortably (well pretty comfortably lol) every night 37. Time – for a system to organize myself and keep track of activities 38. Shoes – for protecting my feet when I am out 39. Blogs – for connections 40. Books – for adding wisdom into my life 41. Movies – for providing a source of entertainment AND learning 42. Technology – for making “impossible” things possible 43. Computers in the classroom – for the kids 44. Cell phones – for making it easy to stay in touch with others 45. Transport – for making it easier to commute from one place to another 46. Internet – for connecting me and you despite the physical space between us 47. Animals – for about a million reasons 48. The earth – for creating the environment for life to begin 49. Oxygen – for making life possible 50. Trees – for giving oxygen 51. And that I give carbon dioxide to them 52. Rainbows – for a beautiful sight to look forward to after rain 53. Snow – for making winter even more beautiful 54. Rain – For cooling me when it gets too warm and for making it comfy to sleep in on weekends 55. And for it making sort of Saturday movies so fun (on tv) 56. Moon and stars – for brightening up our night sky 57. Sunset – for a beautiful sight to end the day 58. Pain – gulp – for me to become a stronger person 59. All my experiences – gulp – for contributing to who I mam and what I’ve learned, now. 60. My teachers – For their dedication and for passing down knowledge to me 61. My Tai Chi teacher – for although I, by choice, don’t see him anymore, he did give so much to me 62. Thich Nhat Hanh. In my life. 63. And what I’ve been able to share with others. 64. “Tiny Buddha” – site where I got a number of these last thoughts 65. My hands – so I can type on my computer, flip the pages of books, play piano, hug, hold hands 66. That I can breathe on my own 67. And speak 68. And see! 69. And hear 70. And taste 71. And smell 72. That L. said yes to the Myers-Briggs course together 73. My parents for giving birth to me 74. “Touch the Earth” – that beautiful, wonderful practice from my retreats with Thich Nhat Hanh 75. That they (retreats) are SO ridiculously affordable 76. Gardein 77. Vegetables 78. Fruits 79. Organic foods! 80. Fresh, clean water. 81. Remote control 82. Second graders’ jokes 83. Museums 84. Carnegie Hall 85. Lincoln Center 86. Broadway and off-Broadway 87. Movie theaters 88. Drive-ins when I was young 89. That I’ve been to DC a number of times 90. And Montreal 91. And Barbados 92. And Bermuda 93. And England! 94. And Niagara Falls. Especially the Canadian side 95. And Los Angeles 96. That I visited the Tate Museum 97. And bought pretty jammies and a sweet robe at Harrod’s! 98. And was in Kensington Palace 99. And Windsor Castle 100. And saw Buckingham Palace