It’s been a rough few years recently. Like a lot of other people, I was hit hard by the depression/recession that began in 2008. I stayed afloat as best I could, but by 2010 I found it hard to be grateful, and it was even worse last year. While I was aware that I still had plenty of reasons to be grateful, I was still finding it hard to feel grateful. I had to dredge up my objectivity and force myself to acknowledge those I owe thanks to.
It seems a little easier this year. That’s a little odd, because 2012 has been a shitty year on many fronts; but right now, this minute, I can make a list without having to force myself to write. (It comes and it goes.) Pell-mell:
- I’m grateful to my family and friends. Without them I would be homeless and destitute. They’re there when I need them, they cheer me up when I’m hard to cheer.
- I’m grateful to my cats. They think they rule the universe, but they still like to cuddle.
- I’m grateful to my husband for loving me.
- I’m grateful to great writers that have trapped messages of wisdom, knowledge, hope, curiosity, and imagination within paper pages or even rows of 0s and 1s.
- I’m grateful to Americans for voting for the future, not for a past that never was.
- I’m grateful to people who work hard to do the best job they can and be the best people they can be.
- I’m grateful to artists that offer glimpses of beauty, greatness, or meaning in strange and varied forms.
- I’m grateful to scientists, medical professionals, engineers and others who push the limits of what can be done to make our lives better, longer, and more filled with meaning.
- I’m grateful to those who struggle, everywhere on Earth, to bring justice, peace, prosperity and safety to all and to break down barriers between people.