Surprise

This morning, I am grateful for life's ability to surprise me. No matter how long it has been since I've fallen into a routine, there's always something that can stir it up and reinvigorate my approach to daily life. On one hand, habits and routines are good and even essential. By definition, however, I sort of go into autopilot and cease being fully cognizant of my surroundings and actions. Even tiny tweaks to these routines or simply my mentality towards them can change my outlook for the day. Or, as I originally started saying, life can just throw a few changes my way that lead to little awakenings.

So thank you, life, for these surprises you give us on a daily basis. Being more aware and open to them makes life more exciting and interesting.

Abundance

Today, I turn my mind to the overall abundance we have in this country. Regardless of what we want, we can get it almost immediately. Need some blank CDs? Go out to Best Buy. Need them cheaper? Try Goodwill. New clothes? Covered. New Car? Used Car? Craigslist. We can buy computers, organic produce, houses, books, electricity, clean drinking water, all the food we can eat, and infinitely more. All of these things are at our fingertips. We literally don't have to leave our house to get most of these things, thanks to internet shopping.

We are so unbelievably lucky. It blows my mind when I take the time to think about it. I've never had to read the same book hundreds of times just because I couldn't afford or didn't have access to a new one. I've never had to sit by candlelight because my area hasn't been developed enough to be equipped with electricity. I've never had to walk miles to a well in order to find water that was suitable for drinking, let alone doing the dishes, taking a shower, or taking advantage of indoor plumbing.

Sometimes I feel conflicted about this privilege I've accidentally stumbled into, especially when I picture families who, out of necessity, do have to go through the aforementioned efforts to acquire basic items and services that I don't think twice about. On the other hand, if we can have all of our basic needs—and then some—met here, then I believe everywhere else is capable of achieving the same thing. It will take effort; it will take planning; and it will take the conscious effort of all of us to even be aware of this abundance we live in and that not everyone is afforded this.

Thank you, abundance, for making our lives easier. Thank you for allowing me to turn my attention from basic survival to more complex and deep aspirations in life. And thank you for giving me the opportunity to enjoy all you have to offer responsibly. It's a historical accident that I was born an American and born into this society of plenty, but that doesn't mean I should be wasteful or lavish—quite the opposite. Everyday is a chance to practice mindfulness and to be grateful for every single thing in my life.

Wind

I am grateful for the wind. It's probably my favorite "element" (Captain Planet style) and it's really quite a beautiful thing. The sound it makes as it travels over the land, the trees as they sway to and fro, the feeling of it as it flows through my fingertips. I remember my friend and I as kids would climb trees on windy days and just stand on the branches as the whole thing moved back and forth. Feeling the wind against my hand as I drove was also a favorite past time. It makes hot days bearable.  It generates electricity. It fills sails. It allows plants to travel as their seeds are dispersed. And it makes me feel nice and cozy in my house as I hear it roaring outside.

It's pretty windy today and I like it. So thank you, wind. Stick around for a while.

Friends Moving In

This week, we have some friends moving in with us for a couple months. More specifically, they'll be parking their super sweet camper in our yard, which actually works out better for the both of us because we get to hang out as if they were actually in the house while maintaining more privacy. It will shake things up to have friends so close by (like living with roommates again) and I know we'll all make the best of it. I'm picturing bonfires, cookouts, jams (they're musicians, and actually played at our wedding), and other good stuff.

So thank goodness for this opportunity to spend some time with people we care about. I look forward to it.

Things to Do

I am grateful for things to do, like chores, work, and other assignments. Often, these obligations can feel like a weight on my shoulders that is preventing me from doing what I really want to. But how I do anything is how I do everything. So really, these obligations are opportunities for me to be the best I can be; to develop healthy and effective habits; to build a strong character and work ethic. These things I have to do have the power to shape who I am. This drastically changes how I think about doing the dishes. I'm not saying I won't feel the weight of these obligations, but maybe this mindset will help me get through them more positively, which may, in turn, produce a better result.

So thank you, things to do, for giving me the opportunity to prove myself every single day, even in the smallest of things.

New House

Not my new house, but I am grateful for the new house our friends are moving into. Yesterday, we helped them move a bunch of stuff over and it is a nice place: beautiful home, big enclosed backyard, and a nice, quiet neighborhood. It will be perfect for their little boy, who doesn't have much space to go wild where they are right now. Here, however, he'll be able to go crazy in the yard and bike up and down his street. Also, mom and dad can feel better that they're no longer living near a marsh and, thus, no longer near a bunch of dangerous snakes. So thank you, new house, for opening a new chapter for our good friends and providing them a wonderful environment to continue their lives.

And on another note, I just realized that this post (and a few previous ones) expresses gratitude on behalf of someone else. Although my posts tend to focus on aspects of my life in particular, I suddenly feel like I've discovered a new world of looking beyond my own and being able to feel genuine gratitude and joy in the lives of others. And my eyes open just a little wider.

A Little Bit of Free Time

Oh, am I grateful for just a little bit of free time. I can finally feel this translation project closing (all that's left is editing) and yesterday I had time to take apart a pallet and start working on a couple projects with the wood. To have time to do something other than wake up, translate, tutor, and sleep is a wonderful thing.

Thank you, oh, so much, free time. You allow me to explore areas outside of my professional life; interests and hobbies that are just as important for a meaningful existence. As long as I take care to avoid squandering you and just sitting on my butt, you are invigorating and make me feel even more productive.