Garbage Raccoons

(photo as it appears on: http://corbettbarr.com/2009/)

I am grateful for the raccoons that broke into the garbage bags full of recycling that I had left on the porch. Really, what I should have been doing was driving the recycling out to the designated blue stations on a weekly basis, but instead I let it accumulate and began storing it with the intention of taking one big trip someday. Well, not only did these raccoons call me out on my bad habit, but they instilled in me the motivation to actually load up the recycling and take it where it needed to go.

So thank you, raccoons, for encouraging me to be more responsible with my chores. It's hard to be mad at you when I enabled the problem to begin with.

Weekend Staycation

I am grateful for another weekend staycation! We're off to the Airstream to soak up the vibes of our now-officially-ours Tiny Home. We got the title and a brand-spanking-new license plate.

Here we go.

Thought Experiments

I am grateful for the mind's ability to play with perspective to gain a different understanding of a situation. I am full of biases. Everyone is and often we are not even aware of them. For example, let's say I'm hypothetically (wink wink) watching a political debate between two candidates. Further, let's say that while I'm ultimately undecided, I still favor one over the other. During the course of responses and rebuttals, I find myself agreeing with most things one candidate says while I think most things that the other says are ridiculous. It's not even solely what the person says, but somehow what the person is. Something about the other person is unsettling, disingenuous, and unnatural.

This is about when I became aware of my bias. So I decided to try an experiment. Instead of seeing one person as my favored candidate and the other as questionable, I mentally flipped my conception of them. This turned my bias on its head and I suddenly began evaluating the candidates statements from a radically different point of view. How interesting! This simple thought experiment was garnering new insight despite nothing substantive changing about what was being said.

What else have my biases been filtering and altering on my behalf? How often have I misinterpreted a situation because I was unable or unwilling to see it from a perspective other than my own? Well, I have a feeling that like gratitude this is a skill that can be practiced. I have a feeling it can be and that becoming aware of this possibility is the first step. Now it's simply a matter of being willing to practice it. Thank you for the daily opportunities I am given to understand the world around me a little more.

Good Weekend

I am grateful for the wonderful weekend my wife and I had. As already mentioned, it started off with some great finds at Goodwill. Then we officially spent out first night in our Tiny Home! It was super cool and I absolutely loved it. We're still a few months from being ready to settle in, but we're hoping to spend weekends in there to get a good feel for it and any modifications/repairs we need to make. It was totally like taking a mini vacation.

On Saturday, we hiked out to my wife's parents' house to visit their newfound kittens. A stray had taken shelter by their shed and gave birth to a litter of five. Two remain and we got to play with the little fuzzballs.

We had breakfast with a friend and her little boy the next morning. We made waffles and parfaits, which were delicious. They also got to check out or Tiny Home for the first time.

A family friend also came out to the Tiny Home to take a look at our power needs (he's an electrical engineer) and said it would be a snap to get it all set up! Super exciting. To repay his efforts, we had him and my wife's grandma over for a delicious dinner that we made.

I am grateful for the time we got to spend with friends and family—the people who help us in more ways than we can count—and with our future home. This weekend was a nice blend of productivity and relaxation. I've learned from experience that too much of either can make for a disappointing weekend, but this was just perfect. So thank you. I'll see you next week.

Goodwill Finds

(photo as it appears on: http://nemaloknig.info/read-267806/?page=15)


I am grateful for today's finds at Goodwill. Right off the bat I found an unopened, fully-functional speedometer for my bike. I've been pushing myself to go harder and faster and I'm curious to see how fast I'm actually going (and to keep track of it to be sure I'm improving). It'll also be nice to see how far I bike everyday.

After that, I happened upon the eye-opening book on the universe and astrophysics that I had originally acquainted myself with in high school via my local library: Black Holes and Times Warps: Einstein's Outrageous Legacy by Kip S. Thorne. I'm super pumped to read this again. (By the way, this book was published in 1994 and in it Kip describes the theory of gravitational waves and models of what they would look like should they actually exist. Lo and behold, they were discovered this year and the models match exactly! Amazing brains we have on this planet...) Kip was also a consultant for the movie Interstellar to verify that the physics in the movie were correct.

Lastly, I found a book that (I hope) will be interesting and relevant to my wife. It melds ideas of identity and place and tries to understand the union of people and the cities they live in (at least, that's what I garnered from the back).

Here's to thrifty finds!

Failed New Year's Resolution

(photo as it appears on: http://www.irregardless.com/events/bring-in-the-new-years-at-irregardless/)

Seems a funny thing to be grateful for a failure. New Year's resolutions are made in the spirit of self improvement, often accompanied by reassurances like, "This year will be different. This year I'll stick to my resolution." Well, you know what? I didn't. And you know what else? I'm grateful for it.

As you may recall, I had set my sights on learning Python (a computer programming language) to an extent as to be able to use it to solve practical problems. I started off strong (don't we all) but in the last month or two my devotion to this endeavor has waned to a resounding zero. So why am I grateful for this?

This tells me a lot about myself. If you were to ask American pragmatist John Dewey why I stopped learning Python, he would probably say something like, "Because you don't really want to learn it." I may want to learn it in theory, but the evidence shows that I am unwilling to dedicate the time and effort to actually doing so. In other words, actions speak louder than words.

Ultimately, this failed New Year's resolution has helped me get a better sense of my true priorities. Sure, learning Python would be cool. And sure, I love the idea of learning and am often sidetracked by sparkly new skills and hobbies. But actually learning these things to any degree of mastery takes considerable effort that I am often just unwilling to put forth. This is not a bad thing. This means that my time and energy are precious. This means that only a select few areas are worth my devotion. This is really a beautiful revelation. So instead of wallowing in the fact that my New Year's resolution fell through, I'm taking this lesson in stride, letting Python fall to the wayside, and refocusing my attention on that which is pertinent, useful, and meaningful to my life. For example, learning more about Russia and improving my language (I just ordered a couple exciting, informative books from Amazon to this end).

I'm super-psyched about realigning my priorities and I couldn't have done it without failing. So thank you, failed New Year's resolution, for showing me the way.

Today's Run: Becoming a Warrior

(photo as it appears on: http://www.vogue.co.uk/beauty/2015/04/09/dynamic-running-therapy---psychoanalysis-outdoors-william-pullen)

I am grateful for today's run. Every run presents its own challenges. Maybe my knees start hurting and tightening up and I have to stride extra super carefully to be able to finish (and hopefully not slow down too much). Maybe I didn't eat enough and I feel weak. Maybe I ate too much and I feel nauseous. Maybe my mind is telling me I can't make it when I push myself to go harder and faster.

This is why I love running. It seems as simple as putting my feet to the pavement, but there are a million internal battles that go on under the surface. And every time I push through and make it to the finish, I emerge victorious. I'm training my mind and body to become warriors; to be able to face any challenge undaunted; to embrace obstacles as opportunities to become stronger. Some days (like today), it's hard to motivate myself to get out the door and run after work, but in the end it's always worth it.

That runner's high ain't bad, either.

My Mom

Happy Mother's Day to all those past, present, and future mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers (though aren't they all great?). Today, I am grateful for my mom. Along with my dad, she worked tirelessly to support my sister and I. She put up with all my nonsense as a kid. She tried to instill as best she could what it means to be a good human being (Yes, I remember being taken to the picket line when she and her fellow nurses stood up for themselves and went on strike because they weren't being given what they deserved back in the late '90s—and yes, I remember Bernie Sanders coming out to support them! Who knew...).

Thank you, mom, for everything you sacrificed to create a loving, caring home for us. Thank you for being supportive as we embarked on creating lives of our own. Thank you for always being there for us and may we be there for you when you need it.

Thai Food

(photo as it appears on: https://zestyrhythm.wordpress.com/2011/09/29/thai-chicken-curry/)

I am grateful for that delicious Thai food I just had for dinner. I am grateful for my wife, our friend, and her son for joining us. I am grateful that I live in a place where I get to choose what kind of food  to eat and don't have to wonder whether or not I'll be able to eat anything at all. I am grateful that food exists in an abundance and that I have full access to it—so much so that I sit here painfully full as I type this.

I am grateful that in becoming aware of how much I have, I also become aware of how little others do.

Cool Morning

I am grateful for the cool morning we had today. I've been fearing the upcoming heat that's due pretty soon and this was a lovely surprise. It made for an especially nice early morning bike ride to work.

Stay cool.

Everyday Challenges

(photo as it appears on: https://www.petcarerx.com/article/how-to-groom-a-dog/685)

I am grateful for everyday challenges. I'm not talking about the big, life-changing ones, but the simple choices we make everyday about mundane things. For example, my dog needs a bath. However, I just got back from work and I don't feel like expending that energy right now. So I'm faced with a choice: do I postpone this chore (again) or do I acknowledge that while I am indeed tired, I accept this challenge and wash our dog. I am given this golden opportunity to either quash that which holds me back or to give in to what my mind is telling me and stop being productive for the day. What a beautiful gift! The chance to overcome my own obstacles and—after numerous encounters and consistent responses of "challenge-accepted"—an internal resilience and drive to dig deep that has been cemented in habit.

Contrary to what "Fight Club" says, I think self improvement is an amazing thing and one of the most incredible experiences we as humans have. We possess the ability to infinitely refine and perfect our skills, not to mention build and explore new ones. What a beautiful life.

Now let's wash this dog.

New Skills

I am grateful for these new skills I'm acquiring. We may not love every moment and every responsibility we have, but we can always learn from them. These may be life and character lessons or they may be something more practical. For example, I've learned how to make my own almond milk. Not only is it more cost effective, but I can guarantee the freshness of what I'm consuming and that there are literally only three ingredients: water, almonds, and maple syrup; no added extras that they need in order for the product to survive shipping and sitting on a shelf for days or weeks. That makes me feel good. And it makes my body feel good.

Here's to learning something new everyday.

(photo as it appears on: http://livingprettynaturally.com/how-to-make-your-own-almond-milk-some-thoughts-on-dairy/)

Tiny Home

It was the real deal. On Friday, my wife and I (and her parents) brought back our first home. And it wasn't just any home, mind you, but a Tiny Home! We are super excited. It's in fantastic condition and, really, the only modifications we need to make are aesthetic. It's going to take a while for us to transition into that tiny space, but yesterday I dropped a couple things off and couldn't help but smile and imagine what's to come.


(This is pretty much it! Photo as it appears on: http://vintageairstream.com/photo-archives/1973-overlander-27/)

Thank you, Tiny Home, for being the real deal and giving my wife and I the house we've been dreaming of. Thank you, seller, for being a cool guy and allowing us to start our journey of tiny home ownership. And thank you, friends and family, who pulled together and made this possible. Without you, we would have only been able to look at the pretty pictures online and be forced to move on. Let's get tiny.

Hidden Gems

I am grateful for the unexpected niceties that happen everyday. Take, for instance, scouring CraigsList for months and months looking for our first Tiny Home and finding no real leads (I don't think the overpriced, under-repaired motorhome counts...). Then today the absolutely perfect (potentially) listing popped up, even after having been checking everyday—often multiple times a day. We had already conceded many points and were willing to look at less-than-ideal models, but this is exactly what we've been looking for and it's located super close. This could be perfect! I say, "could be" because we're going to check it out today in person to see if it's the real deal.


(This isn't actually what we're looking at, but Tiny Homes come it all shapes and sizes. Photo as it appears on: https://www.tinyhomebuilders.com/tiny-houses/tiny-living)

So thank you, hidden gems and surprises, for showing me that hope needn't ever be lost. Life is not static. We work hard, we challenge ourselves, we stay adaptable, and we allow ourselves to pursue and create opportunities. This is how we prepare ourselves for these moments when we have to be ready to pounce. I know this post is spurred by something relatively trivial (getting this Tiny Home isn't life or death, after all), but its lessons are far-reaching and can be applied in many different areas of life. Here's to being open and ready for life's surprises.

Dinner with Friends

(photo as it appears on: http://www.lovethatfood.com/recipes/noodles-with-peanut-sauce.htm)

I'm grateful for the dinner my wife and I had with our friends. It was their going away dinner and we made some delicious food (spicy peanut sauce and noodles, anyone?). It was good to just hang out with them for a while and talk, sending them off on a good note. Taking the time to get to know people and investing in those relationships (especially if you like 'em!) is one of the great joys in life. As a naturally quiet, shy person it's not always easy, but always worthwhile.

Quasi-lazy Sunday

It wasn't a super lazy Sunday, but it wasn't anything stressful, either. I am grateful to have spent the day with my wife and her parents, helping them around the house while they helped us. It was a lovely day and we got to do some interesting things! For example, we checked out a camper that we saw listed in the local classifieds—our first in-person investigation into Tiny Living. It turned out not to be exactly what we need in a Tiny Home, but it was exciting nonetheless.

(photo as it appears on: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/377387643751846985/)

So thank you, Sunday, for providing us with adventure and low-stress tasks. And thank you, family, for giving us good company.

(photo as it appears on: http://www.lmrblaw.com/starting-new-business-checklist/)

I am grateful that I got a few things done around the house today. Not everything I do is for entertainment or relaxation, but rather out of necessity. Here's to not putting it off and getting it done!

Friday Date Night

I am grateful for the time I got to spend with my wife (and our dog) this evening. It wasn't anything super fancy or over-the-top, but we got to do a little something out of the ordinary and enjoy each other's company. Here's to soaking up the moments we have together.

Getting Back into Running

(photo as it appears on: http://perthurbanrunners.com/week-13-running-plan/)

I am grateful for the experience of getting back into running. I went for my first run in ten months or so last Friday and went again on Monday and Wednesday. It's not always easy to motivate myself to get up and move—especially after work and especially since I bike to and fro—but in the few times I've been, I've already begun to experience the coveted runner's high. Once I start running it's not bad at all, it's just digging deep to put my shoes on and get out there. I've found that to be true of many things—the dread of doing something is much worse than the "something" itself.

So thank you, running, for helping my body adopt more active, healthy habits. The harder I work, the better I feel.

Accustomed to Early Wakeup

This morning, I am grateful that my body is getting accustomed to waking up early. Despite getting up before the sun does, this week I've started waking up before my alarm goes off. It's quite nice not to be shaken out of a dream state and mentally disoriented, but rather naturally opening my eyes with my brain ready to go.

Now, whether or not I choose to get up in that moment or stay snuggled next to my wife for a few extra minutes is another question.

Different Points of View

I am grateful for being exposed to different points of view. Sure, sometimes they're difficult to hear and sometimes I can't believe what I'm hearing, but it's important to "reset" from my own personal assumptions about the world. At the very least, outlandish ideas cause me to go back and reassess what I believe just to be sure I've chosen a reasonable perspective. In all possibility, they may take me back to square one where I start digging through available explanations and sorting through the possible truths.

Either way, there are no negatives to actively listening to another perspective. I get to learn about a fellow human's philosophy and point of view, all while simultaneously working or reworking through my own. Listening is a gateway into humanity's experience and seeking to genuinely understand someone else, even when you outright disagree, is a virtue.

Encounters with Nature

I am grateful for that little blue jay that landed on my head yesterday. Crazy! First, it flew up onto the chair in front of me, looked at me, and then flew off. Next thing I knew it was perched up on the top of my hat, hopping around, moved to the brim, fluttered about a little, and flew away. I was cracking up at the time and simultaneously hoping he didn't "do what birds do" and ruin the moment. That was a funny, briefly exciting experience.

I am not, however, super grateful for the snake I later found in the garage. Not knowing whether or not it was venomous made coaxing it out a bit tense. However, I suppose I got to see nature's doubled-edged sword—a harmless, silly blue jay and a potentially harmful, aggressive snake. I can be grateful that I got this lesson in respecting nature and realizing that humans are not invulnerable.

New Projects

I am grateful for new projects. The beginning is always the most exciting part. Looking forward, there is only potential and progress and I love that feeling. So thank you, new projects, for giving me this excitement and for allowing me to embark on this journey. Happy Saturday.

Real

I am grateful for my wife's willingness to be open, honest, and real. We all display only a fraction of who we are and what we're feeling at any given time, which is OK. It would be totally inappropriate for me to bring my personal issues into the workplace. But even in the right context, being emotionally vulnerable and open is a difficult, scary thing. It takes courage. It takes trust. And I am so grateful that my wife is brave enough to share her internal world with me and that she feels comfortable enough with me to do so.

I know I frequently fall short here, opting instead to hide my emotions out of what is, ultimately, cowardice. I often feel uncomfortable and vulnerable expressing that side of me and having the chance to witness my wife taking that leap of faith makes me want to stand up to this fear and take the plunge with her. Being open and honest is a habit, however, so all I can do is seize the opportunity when it presents itself and do so every time.

How I do anything is how I do everything.

Day Off

I am grateful for this unexpected day off. Since we've been getting ahead the past couple weeks and weather's not so great, I got an early morning text letting me know I could stay home (thankfully, I hadn't left yet). So instead of going in to work, I'm going to spend the day tending to things I've been meaning to for a while. For example, I can clean the kitchen, make some more language flashcards, start a couple projects, and maybe just relax a little. We'll see.

Thank you, rain; thank you, surprises; and thank you, day off. Let's spend it wisely.

Rainy Day

I am grateful for the rain today. It was surprisingly nice to get out and walk around in it. I consciously avoided being bummed that it was raining (which is a pretty typical reaction, I think) and just focused on the beauty of it, the knowledge that I would dry off soon enough and that no harm was done, and that this rain nourishes the earth and everything on it. Thank you rain. I'll see you again tomorrow.

The Helpfulness of Others

I am grateful for the willingness of others to help and to offer their wisdom without hesitation or expectation of a return. I have reached out to a few people in hopes of gaining some insight into their experiences and have already received positive responses. Granted, those I've heard back from are part of my family, but their overwhelming and genuine desire to help is incredible.

Thank you, family, for your unceasing support, regardless of how long it has been since we last talked. Thank you, everyone, for your past, present, and future willingness to lend a hand. May I be able to return the favor someday.

Wildlife

(photo as it appears on: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/blue-jay/)

I am grateful for the fleeting image of a couple birds as I worked on my computer on the porch this late afternoon. At first, a female woodpecker flew into a small tree immediately in front of me along with what I thought was her male counterpart. However, once the female flew off and the male hopped down to the ground, I realized it was a blue jay (they both have a similar angular silhouette). Then another bird flew down, which I thought was the male woodpecker chasing off the blue jay, but it ended up being another blue jay. Oh, well. We have a resident woodpecker that lives here and it's always super cool to see (though its chirp isn't exactly tranquil and relaxing—it sounds more like one of those yapping toy dogs).

Anyways, I am grateful for the chance to observe some beautiful birds, one of the many offerings nature has all around us should we only look up every once in a while.

Errands

I am grateful that my wife and I got to drive for a bit today while we took care of some errands. I know that doesn't sound too exciting, but it was a beautiful day and quite lovely for a ride in the car. The sun was shining, skies were blue, and there was a wonderful breeze out that kept us cool. We also had the opportunity to try out a new restaurant for lunch, which was delicious (and nutritious).

So thank you, errands, for letting my wife and I to take a mini trip today.

Friday

I am grateful that today is Friday and that after a hard week of work, I can finally relax for a couple days with my wife. I am also thankful that she has the weekend off, too! It's been questionable with her schedule, but now we can hang around the house and take care of ourselves. We'll have some chores, checking in on the garden, mowing the lawn, but it's all contributing towards bettering our home (plus, we get to relax as much as we want). And it all starts with dinner and a movie!

Thank you, Friday, for rewarding all the hard workers in the world by giving them a couple days to rest and recuperate (even though their "Friday" fall on a different day of the week—for those who work weekends). Thank you that I may spend time with my wife and simply enjoy her company. It's important to work, but it's also important to cherish the time we have with our family.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date.

Physical Activity

(photo as it appears on: https://www.haikudeck.com/physical-activity-education-presentation-ZF2TeSmYSH)

I am grateful for all this physical activity I've been getting lately which has been integrated into my daily routine. Sure, I feel more tired and I don't always look forward to biking into work when I wake up early, but I also feel more physically fit and more in tune with my body after having done it a while. A morning bike ride, a more physical job, and an afternoon ride home (during which I usually push myself a little harder to get these legs in better bike shape) have all upped my overall activity level, which my body needed anyways.

When I was in school, running around and playing sports was always a given. But now that I've up and flown the coop (and have for a while now), my health and exercise are entirely up to me. I have to be my own mentor and tell myself, "You'll thank me later," which isn't always easy to do. But here's to trying, and here's to a happy, healthy life.

Wife Lessons

I am grateful for the various ideas and perspectives my wife has exposed to me during the course of our relationship. Only by hearing how others speak who have not yet been exposed to them do I realize how much I've grown because of her. I am a better person for knowing her and for that, I thank her.

New Bike

I am grateful for this new bike I started riding this week. By new, I mean eighteen years old. But it's new to me. There's been some rough terrain I have to cross trying to get to work and my road bike just wasn't cutting it. This super sweet mountain bike, on the other hand, is surely capable of handling all the sand, mud, potholes, and anything else that might be thrown at it. So thank you, bike, for enabling me to get to work and to go on little adventures. And thank you, Craigslist seller, for being a friendly, older gentleman, with whom it was a pleasure to meet. Tonight we ride!

(photo as it appears on: http://index.weldtite.co.uk/reviews/view/dirtwash-g-strings-and-bike-cleaner-spray-dee-fry)

Sunset

I am grateful for the brief sunset I got to see as I walked Roy down to the bay. Beautiful yellows, oranges, pinks, reds, and purples. I didn't get to see the sun itself, as it had already dipped below the horizon, but it's hard to complain with the waves lapping at the shore on such a beautiful day.

Thank you, sun, for rising and setting everyday and sharing your light show with us. Thank you, Roy, for encouraging me to get up and go on a walk every once in a while. And thank you, jogger, for recognizing Roy as "The Sweater Dog" and letting me know you had been looking for him when he was out exploring.

(photo as it appears on: http://michaelzphotography.com/buy/sunset/)

Loving Wife

I am grateful that my wife loves me enough to learn how to make coffee even though she hates it. That's love.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

I am grateful for the amazing things people are capable of when they put their minds to it and focus their will. It is absolutely incredible what we can do. Last night, I watched some good friends (and musicians) play a show. Fingers flying, melodies singing, harmonies walking—beautiful, concerted talent. I've tried playing the violin. It's hard. As a beginner, I make sounds I didn't think were possible on an instrument and it's not pretty. But up there on the stage, the violinist was flying along the fingerboard, drawing his bow with ease and rocking out that beautiful instrument. He started out just like me—slowly, painfully, and probably exasperated at points. But he kept practicing, fine-tuning his slowly-increasing skill set until finally he could stand up on a stage and leave people in awe of his talent, i.e. hard work, dedication, practice, etc. And this is true of all the musicians on that stage. And this is also true of every single endeavor we as humans dedicate ourselves to. We are capable of so much should we only commit to working through the tough spots and being willing to suck at it for a while. The only way to grow is to reach up.

Attention

I am grateful for my ability to control where my attention lies. It's an imperfect skill, but practicing is a lot of fun and it's rewarding. I've taken to working on my attention during my walks with the dog. I'll repeatedly silence my internal dialogue and internal radio as necessary and focus on the sounds that surround me: birds, crickets, frogs, cars, AC units, conversations, etc. I'll open myself up to the breeze, the sunshine, or the cloudy, refracted light that falls on me. I'll focus on my breathing or something at the core of my being. The point is to tune my awareness to what exists around and within me. To watch it. To observe it. To sit quietly with it without jumping to any conclusions.

This is meditation. I was first introduced to it in an academic setting when I enrolled in "Meditation and Virtue" as a budding philosophy major. With daily, incremental meditation homework, my ability to harness my attention and my ability to choose to remain focused despite potential distractions skyrocketed. That last phrase is carefully chosen—it's not that I "tuned out" distractions, but rather I noticed them, watched them for a moment, and willfully turned my attention back to the task at hand (this came in handy when my roommate was going through his Disney soundtrack phase and insisted on blasting it on his stereo while I worked). It's incredible what our minds are capable of when we sit with them and explore them. We are amazing creatures. Thank you mind. Thank you body. Thank you for giving me the ability to choose where I focus my energy and attention. And thank you for allowing me to practice and develop this ability. The path is usually more exciting than the destination.

(photo as it appears on: http://imperfectspirituality.com/2014/04/14/am-i-doing-it-s-meditation/)

Few Minutes on a Porch

I am grateful for the twenty-or-so minutes I had after work waiting for my wife to arrive. I sat down on a porch, enjoyed the sunshine, and closed my eyes. Simply listening to the sounds of nature all around me and spying the sunlight through my eyelids, I dozed off for a few minutes. It was wonderful.

Sunshine

I am grateful for all this sunshine! After three days of nonstop rain, this is simply incredible. The plants and wildlife (including people) have woken up and life is in the air. Thank you for reigniting my photosynthesis and making the day beautiful.
(photo as it appears on: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/photo_gallery/3393443.stm)

Carpooling

I am grateful that I get to carpool with my wife. I admit it's out of necessity, but that doesn't mean I can't be thankful for that little extra time we get to spend together before our workday starts. The ride gives us a brief moment to take a little drive, listen to music, discuss our upcoming schedules, plan dates, or just quietly enjoy each other's company.

Thank you, carpooling, for giving us this time together.

Rain

(photo as it appears on: http://weknowyourdreamz.com/rain.html)

Thank you for all this rain we've had. Though I still had to go into work, an overcast, rainy day just slows everything down a little. All things urgent didn't seem so much so today and we ended up getting out a little early. Not bad.

This rain also isn't bad for our budding garden we have going. I'm sure those plants are thirsty and it's time for them to drink up and grow like there's no tomorrow.

Thank you, rain.

Old Job—New Job

I am grateful for the time I spent at my now-former job and simultaneously that this was my last day. It was a difficult and rewarding experience and now I'm ready to focus on my new responsibilities. Thank you for the challenges I was presented. Thank you for the opportunity to exercise my mind and share my passion for learning with others. Thank you for the intelligent, kind coworkers I had. And thank you for the smooth transition that will allow me to move onto what comes next. It has been a pleasure.

Community

Wow am I grateful for the amazingly supportive and actively good-natured community I live in. Our thirteen-year-old boxer went missing a couple days ago and without prompting, people living nearby began posting pictures of him on Facebook (they had no idea who he was at the time). After posting and reposting and comments about when/where he was last seen, a whole lot of good people began going out and looking for him. Mind you, it was already about 7 or 8 at night, dark, and we personally didn't know these people. Nonetheless, they put on some warm clothes, strapped on a headlamp, and went out looking when they heard this cute old dog in a sweater was lost.

(The picture of Roy someone had posted on social media)

Try as we might, we couldn't find him that first night. It was a distressing time because we had just gotten a cold snap and if he wandered away from the small residential area, there was nothing but forest and coyotes. All that night and all the next day, we and countless others searched for him, driving up and down roads, in and out of neighborhoods, checking for tracks, calling out his name and whistling...it was a manhunt. 

It was going to be another cold night and I couldn't stand the thought of poor old Roy being out on his own in the woods for a second time. It was dangerous. I had just gotten home from work after dark when we got a call from my wife's mom saying she heard barking in the woods off a dirt road nearby. We raced over and were met by some good family friends ready to dive into the forest. One of the guys and I jumped in and began tearing through the dense brush that was thick with thorns, vines, and branches. Flashlight in my mouth and trying to clear the way for the guy with some lopping shears, we made our way to the barking and finally spotted our tired old dog in his dirty blue and green sweater. 

When we made it back out (which was no easy task, either), there were about five or six cars parked at the bend with their lights on. Armed with flashlights and ready for a search and rescue, friends and neighbors had gathered when they heard Roy had finally been spotted. Seeing him safe and in the care of his family, there were cheers and Roy got all the pets he could handle. 

It absolutely blew my mind how incredible everyone was and how willing they were to sacrifice their time and effort for our dog. Even if they were friends, it was so generous of them to drive around and call out for him unsolicited, not to mention the countless people I had never met who were just as concerned as if it had been their own dog. Thank you, thank you, thank you, community. Without you, we may not have ever found a part of our family. You banded together and showed me what it means to look after your own. What a terrifying and powerful experience. I never hope to relive it, but know that should anyone else here befall the same fate, we're here for you. Thank you.