Gratitude

Life has been a bit down lately and I've spent a good deal of time crying and complaining, so in an effort to create positive change, it's time to adopt a gratitude attitude. At night before (and while) falling asleep, I try to make a mental list of things I'm thankful for as part of my nightly prayers to the universe. But I think a waking list would be a helpful instigator of energy conversion. Here we go, in a completely random and non-prioritized fashion. I'm thankful for:

• the cd I'm currently listening to that was made especially for me by my sister for my birthday quite a few years ago. It's full of childhood songs and snippets that she put together especially for me. Rescue Rangers, Princess Bride, Sesame Street, Care Bears, Les Mis (with Goo Goo White lyrics floating in my head)...it always makes me feel better.
• the internet. Especially internet at home. I'm so happy to be reconnected with the world!
• loving emails from my mom and brother.
• my new cookie book, full of new and interesting recipes for me to try. (Just made cashew cookies--fairly successful.)
• the burnt toast, avocado, grapefruit, Mexican chocolate, passionfruit, and salty carmel macaroons I ate last week.
• the calm energy brought about by candles.
• Skype. I'm thankful I got to talk to my sister on Skype last week.
• the pumpkin carving kit that another sister sent to me for Halloween. And the tie dye and all of the care packages that my sister(s) have put together.
• friends all over the world.
• natural therapies.
• the fact that you can haggle and negotiate even set prices. Exhibit A--my Halloween pumpkins which were originally $24 each but I got knocked down to $15. Exhibit B--my new chiropractic clinic which is giving me a deal on my sessions.
• a waterfront apartment with grass out my patio door and the proximity of fish and pelicans to my home.
• public transportation. Sydney-siders think their public transportation is horrible, but I rate buses every 5 minutes on my way to and from work very highly.
• friends that introduce me to new desserts. Two friends in Peru made this their duty, and today my one Australian friend introduced me to a fancy Turkish delight. It was like a rosewater flavored gummy covered with white chocolate. Quite outside of my tastebuds' normality.
• good recipes that have been passed on from friends. Tonight for dinner I'm going to make a Mexican zucchini dish that was made by a friend of mine in Seattle. She first made it for me while we were in South Africa, the day we missed our flight home.
• my mom who has mad negotiation skills and negotiated our flights home from South Africa just a few days later. We only had to spend an extra $50 each! Amazing lady, my mother.
• the beautiful weather in Sydney. Both the sunshine and the thunder storms that almost always follow.
• chocolate. Period.
• the driving energy inside me that doesn't let me rest with the status quo. It drives me crazy much of the time, but it makes me who I am and it drives me to succeed. Even when I have to face failure for extended periods of time.
• a certain curly-headed boy who gives me shoulder rubs while trying to work out a frustration in his head. Now that's a positive way of channeling energy...
• my surprise trip to Berry last year with the best lodging ever.
• my friends and family. That's pretty broad, but I'm thankful for all of them. Brothers that help me with internet problems, buy computers, maintain my sanity, and celebrate PWF. Sisters that send me emails, amazing care packages, and positive thoughts. Parents that support me no matter what, send me zucchini bread recipes, and send the random email. Friends that send emails, facebook comments, blog comments, and even more exciting, the occasional letter in the mail. I'm thankful that I have wonderful people to reconnect with when I get home some day.
• digital cameras and social networking websites that allow for great connectivity.
• recycling. I'm thankful someone realized how wasteful we are and decided to do something about it. Recycled furniture is also wonderful. I will be surprised if I ever have any new furniture again (aside from a new mattress--I pine for a new mattress).
• trips abroad with friends and family, past, present and future.

Well, I think that'll about do me for this half hour. That was a good practice in appreciation, one I am sure to repeat again and again.