Reflections

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  1. Ose
    Ose
    1 month ago

    Wakng up and welcoming the day with a smile whiile opening the blinds; looking into the eyes of the strangers passing by while walking to the market and be grateful for life and all which is. Thank you!

  2. Robin Ann
    Robin Ann
    1 month ago

    I woke up thankful for a good night sleep. Also, thankful for upcoming plans to go to Florida and my son is definitely going to join my daughter, my grandson and I in Kissimmee. He made a reservation at a resort which turned out to be only 2 miles from the hotel I book. My son hasn’t seen his nephew since he was a baby. I am also so happy he is showing his support for his sister’s sobriety. I give thanks for this great upcoming plan which the universe has wonderfully put together for us : )

  3. Mary
    Mary
    1 month ago

    I can say thank you by appreciating so much that I love in my life.
    I slept in quite late today and immediately appreciated feeling so well rested.
    My big orange cat, Bert immediately started pushing the top of his head into the side of my face.
    I felt grateful for him always being there when I wake up.
    Thank you Gratefulness site for being here with your heart opening questions.
    And thank you to all who write in, each with your own life experiences and so much wisdom.
    Thank you, life, for nature, and hot tea, and furry animal companions.
    For loved ones, and good food.
    For deep breaths and so many wonders that my senses can perceive.
    I can say thank you by taking it all in joyfully and in the moment.

    1. sparrow51014
      sparrow
      1 month ago

      Beautifully felt,
      beautifully said,
      dear Mary . . .
      your heart and your life
      are full . . .♥

      1. Mary
        Mary
        1 month ago

        Thank you, Sparrow.
        ♥️

  4. S R
    S R
    1 month ago

    I say thank you by honoring this life with my words, thoughts and actions to myself and all beings and giving God all the honor. My grateful ritual of being alive is to praise my Creator for each new day and for moments, and for the functions of my body and senses. I sing a hymn of praise in the morning such as Awake my soul and with thy sun, Now thank we all our God; Great is your faithfulness, praise God from whom all blessing flow … and say my morning mantra “Show me your ways O God and lead me to the path I need to take this day for in you I am bless.” and in the evening, I sing a hymn or song after rummaging through the day “Now the day is over; Abide with me; … and say one of my evening mantras or read or reflect on a poem base on my day’s experiences. I am learning to use my senses, and this is part of me being aware and attentive in these areas and be grateful. For each of them throughout the day.

    1. sparrow51014
      sparrow
      1 month ago

      Thank you for this,
      dear S R . . .
      I believe
      that singing is a prayer.
      You mentioned “Abide With Me” . . .
      my grandmother’s favorite song .
      She would sit at her sewing machine,
      hand-stitching a hem . . .
      the afternoon sun
      shining down on her bent head,
      and hum it to herself.
      I am grateful for this remembrance. ♥

  5. Carol Ann Conner
    Carol
    1 month ago

    I will say thank you by doing my best to be present to whatever I am doing today. I saw this poem this morning and am not sure who wrote it. Naomi Shihaba Nye or Rosemerry Whatola Trommer but thought it good food for thought in reference to today’s question.

    I, Who Did Not Die That Day

    “I, who did not die …”
    —Naomi Shihab Nye, “Making a Fist”

    I, who did not die that day,
    also died. Not all of me,
    but part of me: The part
    who believed I could change things
    beyond my control.
    The part who believed
    any of us can save someone
    who does not want to be saved.
    What a terrible freedom to know
    what I cannot do. The part
    who did not die is the part
    who loves—loves what was,
    loves what is now, loves as long
    as I am able to love.
    The part who did not die
    is the part who still thrills to see
    the twitchy-nosed bunny
    streak across the grass
    and the near-full moon that bathes
    me in cold blue light. The part
    who still lives is not afraid to grieve
    and lets herself be turned
    toward fear and learns,
    learns to meet even heartache
    with wonder. Like a tree, I grow
    from the soil of all I have lost.
    I, who did not die that day,
    am still being taught how to touch
    the wound and let myself be sung
    by the part still wildly alive.
    —Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

    1. Barb C
      Barb C
      1 month ago

      Rosemerry wrote this poem, which she headed with the line from “Making a Fist” by Naomi Shihab Nye that is assume was her inspiration.

      https://ahundredfallingveils.com/2025/01/17/i-who-did-not-die-that-day/

      https://poets.org/poem/making-fist

  6. Barb C
    Barb C
    1 month ago

    Love this way of framing the question!

    I’m currently reading Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts, by Oliver Burkeman. He wrote Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, another very good book. Both books point out that we really can’t do “everything” and trying to imagine we’ll ever do it all means we miss the life we’re living in search of the life we imagine we’ll have once we’re all caught up or do the thing or buy the thing or whatever that illusory goal is.

    Spending a day saying thank you feels like a great use of my attention and energy, far better than worrying about what I haven’t done in the day. I’ve already thanked my sweetheart for my morning cup of coffee that he brings me without fail. The cat won’t understand when I thank him for being soft and warm and curled up in my lap but I can feel gratitude (especially for this moment of sweetness, which contrasts with the moments in which he climbs on my desk and tries to make me stop working by clawing at my hand….). Next I’ll think with gratitude of the city utility workers who make my hot shower and the electricity powering the appliances I use to make breakfast possible. On and on.

    This gives me an idea. I seriously doubt anyone sends thank-you notes to the people who work at places like the water treatment plant or the garbage service. I may just write some cards.

    1. Avril
      Avril
      1 month ago

      You will make someones day like that!

    2. Carol Ann Conner
      Carol
      1 month ago

      I love the idea of the thank you notes.

      1. sparrow51014
        sparrow
        1 month ago

        I did that during the covid pandemic . . .
        wrote thank you notes
        to the hospital,
        doctors and nurses
        the police and fire departments,
        the emergency medics,
        and a few more
        that I can’t remember now.
        Now,
        you have given me another reason to write some thank you notes . . . ♥
        Thank you.

  7. c
    Carol Ann
    1 month ago

    stay humble and stay grateful. If negative self talk or harsh, unhelpful judgements start creeping in…. boot them out, and stay humble and stay grateful. OK. Here we go!🤞

  8. Charlie T
    Charlie T
    1 month ago

    Yes, I did wake up this morning and I am grateful.
    I will do what I have to do to make a living, but I will also attempt to be open and available to the world.
    I will try to be in the river and not on the bank, watching it go by.
    When I woke up this morning, I lay in bed and started the usual loop of past and future thinking.
    But I stopped myself, as I am practicing to do, and came into the present with gratitude for what I have, what I have been through, and all that is around me.

    1. sparrow51014
      sparrow
      1 month ago

      Thank you for this,
      dear Charlie . . .
      you can be in the river
      while making a living as well. ♥

      “When you do things from your soul, the river itself moves through you. Freshness and a deep joy are signs of the current.”
      — Rumi

  9. Mark Piper
    Mark Piper
    1 month ago

    Remembering and believing that I can control my emotions/feelings… I woke up this morning and I can still *sincerely* say thank you. In spite of stress and unpleasant items to deal with, I can recall that life, my life, is good even if there are unpleasant issues at hand. I can say thank you by not allowing the difficulties to crowd out or overtake the goodness around me. I can say thank you by being present to my kids and family. By doing my tasks well, and my looking for joy, I am saying ‘thank you.’ I think of a quote from Catherine McAuley, “joys and sorrows mingled… this is our life.”

    1. Avril
      Avril
      1 month ago

      Yes– it is always comingled. The bitter and the sweet– which flavor profile we choose to focus on is what matters.

  10. Yram
    Yram
    1 month ago

    Many of us on this site acknowledge that fact often. Say it and appreciating each other is a BIG thank you.

    1. Avril
      Avril
      1 month ago

      Amen sister

  11. L
    Loc Tran
    1 month ago

    a good night sleep

  12. Mary
    Mary Mantei
    1 month ago

    Literally, I say “thank you for this day” to the Divine Spirit each morning, standing at my studio window, facing South, before I come downstairs. No matter what is showing up in life, this is my practice. The view then becomes my assessment of the weather for the day. This morning, the waning, yet nearly full moon, was brilliantly in view. Living at the 45th Parallel in Michigan, that is a rare sight as of late. Joyful surprise!

  13. Patti
    sunnypatti
    1 month ago

    I say thank you by starting the day with a meditation – I chose one with affirmations this morning, and it made me smile. I wrote down some things I’m thankful for in my journal which included the lovely yoga class I attended last night and the beautiful teacher and students that were there. I’m grateful life is shifting and changing, and I’m excited for the things that are opening up for both my husband and me.

  14. Marnie Jackson34408
    Marnie Jackson
    1 month ago

    My answer always seems to be similar to these questions. I can slow down and enjoy. However, I set this intention and then life happens. Maybe setting this intention daily, it will slowly creep into my day.

  15. Ngoc Nguyen
    Ngoc Nguyen
    1 month ago

    I woke up this morning with a refreshing mind, taking a deep breath, ready to learn and ready to apply the knowledge. The spring semester has already started and I’m in my new major. Many things to learn ahead.
    Have a warm weekend to all of you! ☺

    1. L
      Loc Tran
      1 month ago

      My Ngoc, it’s still a small sample size, but I can already tell that this social worker major suits you much better than the computer 1. Your empathy is something you have going for you. English is a fixable barrior. For the computer field, you’d have to become someone you’re not. Computers are all about: math, logic, and science.
      Abilities and desires don’t always play nicely. Your desires lie in computers but abilities lie in the area of people. It’s just like for me with basketball and piano respectively.

      1. Barb C
        Barb C
        1 month ago

        Loc, I immediately thought of you when I saw this “today in history” story on the Good News Network, which I have open on my laptop thanks to someone here mentioning it a while back. Lauryn may appreciate this too.

        “13 years ago today, LeBron James became the youngest player in NBA history to record 20,000 career points during the Miami Heat’s 92-75 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James was 28 years and 17 days old at the time, passing Kobe Bryant’s 20,000 mark which he made at 29 years and 122 days.”

        https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/events070117/

        1. Michele
          Michele
          1 month ago

          it was moi, glad you’re visiting that site Barb, made me smile 🙂

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