The Mindful Gratitude Thread

[Introversion]

Today I’m grateful for cats, who despite being complete arse-pains every day like mobile devil clocks between the hours of 4:00AM and 6:00AM, are fluffy and soft and not entirely sociopathic but only mostly narcissistic.

It’s autumn here, so the trees are shedding flat brown birds, which flap and twist and spiral on their way to ground, which is covered now by drifts of fallen flat tree birds, and our cats vibrating and chittering on windowsills could certainly catch and vanquish them all if only we let them out!! And it’s probably my sleep deprivation that makes this idiocy amusing enough to tolerate everything else they put me through, including sitting on my face at 4:30AM today and buzzing nonchalantly.

 

[Maryn]

(Humorous essay sitting right there, Introversion.)

 

[WriteMinded]

Right now, I'm just damn grateful that I haven't lost my mind yet...

There's always tomorrow.

 

[mrsmig]

Grateful for an unseasonably warm and delightfully sunny day in which to button up the last gardening chores of the season.

 

[MacAllister]

Grateful today that, after a couple of weeks of casual discussion regarding her anxiety around the Covid vaccination, I have a work colleague who has finally made her appointment to go get jabbed.

 

[Carrie]

My husband just made a huge pot of beans! Anasazi beans with tomato and onion and garlic and this time he added some wild rice and corn. So good. I am so lucky.

 

[frimble3]

I found freshly baked, raisin cinnamon bagels at my local grocery store! Since the local bakery does not make bagels, this is a cause for much gratitude!

Don't forget to tell the grocery workers how much you appreciated the bagels! If they don't normally carry them, this may be a test of how well they are received.

 

[Carrie]

I just finished a revision of my novel. No, I'm sure I am not done. But I've taken a huge step forward and I am very grateful!

 

[Chris P]

Grateful for some nice weather and opportunity to get a few things outside accomplished I didn't know were going to need doing until I was doing something else and found out, uh oh, this and that needed doing.

Also grateful for the funds and the opportunity to just run to the hardware store and get what I need. Plus for the knowledge and creativity to do what needed to be done.

 

[Hanna]

Hello, everyone! I'm very grateful for music today. Joyful melodies make each day so much more meaningful, don't you think? Today music has really been quite inspirational and helped me write several poems! I hope some of you try using your favourite songs as a prompt today. I believe in you!

 

[Carrie]

Today I am grateful for healthcare. Yes, there is a lot wrong with the healthcare system in the US, but when it works, it can be pretty amazing. I'd been putting up with a frozen shoulder for two months as I worked to complete a revision. I finally had time to see a doctor and the experience could not have been better. There are some wonderful people out there, and I met a few of them today. And my shoulder feels better already!

 

[mccardey]

God damn, I'm still writing. And I'm at that point where I can't go to sleep and I wake up early because I want to keep writing.

I can't see this ending well, but oh it's so lovely just while it's happening...

 

[Unimportant]

I am grateful for antibiotics and painkillers. (Abscessed infected oral cyst.)

In about four hours, I will be grateful for lasagna.

 

[Viridian]

I’m grateful I’m doing well in my new college courses. I decided to make a career change and returned to college three months ago to become a physical therapist assistant.

The program is very challenging and 8 out of 22 students flunked about this semester, but I persevered, formed good study habits, took advantage of the resources available to me, and made it out with an 85%. Taking this time to remind myself I’m a resilient person with a slow and steady work ethic, and I’m good at solving problems.

I’m also grateful for my support network. I had a hard time recently, but my husband, my sisters, and my mother were all there for me, and tomorrow I am going out to a local bar with new friends.

EDIT; I’m also grateful for this dog. She’s a sweetheart.

 

[AnnieColleen]

I'm grateful for people who keep putting in effort to get the work done, and for what they've already built.

And for adorable nibling pictures.

 

[CMBright]

I am grateful that we are officially not going to Spouse's family Thanksgiving. Not because I dislike Spouse's family, but even when I was a kid with my own extended family, I wound up in a kid's bedroom playing alone with legos. By my own choice. Too much chaos.

Spouse's family? Large, extended and very loud and chaotic. But we will do Christmas Eve, even if I need meds to get through. Kid loves it. I would even brave Chuck-E-Cheese for Kid, if necessary. Say, for a birthday party. Probably won't have to, but I'd do it for our 10yo.

Back when we were dating, Spouse found Thanksgiving with me, Mom and Uncle rather weird. Nearly silent. Good but very odd, given the normally loud, chaotic get togethers Spouse grew up with.

 

[Viridian]

Today I am grateful that it’s sunny outside. It’s only 55 degrees, but it’s warm if you go walk in the sunlight.

 

[Viridian]

I know I’m double posting, but I have two things today.

I think I found a therapist who will be a good fit for me, which is remarkable, because I’m looking specifically for a therapist who works with LGBT clients, and I live in small town in Iowa. It’s rare to see LGBT-specific therapists around here because there’s not much demand for it. I wanted an in-person therapist (if possible) because that works better for me.

Blessings from the universe today. Reminding myself life is not all bad. There is bad luck and then good luck.

 

[mccardey]

I had not realised how very nervous I was that my kids and their friends were coming down this weekend which, for BadMatilda
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would be her first house-party and also her first child-meeting (a two-year-old).

I'm very grateful to everyone who has taught us about dog socialisation. She did us all proud, even when she was asleep on the couch and Baby M jumped up to surprise her with his lion impression. She was - quietly surprised, but she didn't kill him (unlike Boy Quail on whom be peace) .

Obviously, no-one can ever visit us again, because it won't happen twice, but she. was. perfect.

 

[Kat M]

I am struggling with losing hope and then I remembered this thread exists. So I'm grateful for that.

Today I spent the whole afternoon with my musical mentor, sharing tunes in preparation for an upcoming gig. Her days are literally numbered, so every note is precious. I'm grateful for today and for everything she is still passing on to me.

 

[Siri Kirpal]

I am struggling with losing hope and then I remembered this thread exists. So I'm grateful for that.

Today I spent the whole afternoon with my musical mentor, sharing tunes in preparation for an upcoming gig. Her days are literally numbered, so every note is precious. I'm grateful for today and for everything she is still passing on to me.

Sat Nam! (literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

When she goes, contact me, and I'll chant for her.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

 

[Carrie]

I just had a long breakfast with a very old friend who I had not seen in years. He is doing well and I met his husband for the first time! Wonderful people, lovely breakfast, great conversation -- I am so grateful for friendships old, new, and renewed.

 

[MacAllister]

Sunshine in the Pacific NW again, today -- and the threatened flooding that had us all hooking up our horse trailers and packing bug-out bags last week never materialized.

I'm profoundly thankful.

 

[Introversion]

I’m grateful today for a new oven.

The old one was 17 years old. As old as The Kid, but greasier and less talkative. Display died 3 years ago, because the electronics of it went bellyup. (And thanks a lot, bean-counting deliberate-obsolescence-mongers at Kitchenaid, for no longer making replacements so we couldn’t repair an otherwise working oven.) But the keypad still worked, and if you were d-e-l-i-b-e-r-a-t-e when setting the oven to bake at 350F, for 90 minutes, START, well hey, not too many disasters ensued. (We won’t talk about that one Xmas Eve where I discovered close to mealtime that the ham in the oven Was Not Being Heated…)

But because lately the cook top was refusing to work occasionally, it was finally time to send ol’ Blindy to the great Recycling Center In Wherever. Spouse has a hard time letting go of Old Things, but even she pronounced It Was Time. So, the new oven. Reviews pointed us at an LG with induction cook top.

Because it’s Korean, the new stove doesn’t beep when the timer goes off, it sings a happy little song. Sort of like having a sincere five-year old with good rhythm and an electronic kazoo in the kitchen?

And because the cook top is induction…. Daaaaaamn, is it fast!

Just in time, Chirpy New Stove. Tomorrow, you and I have a date with Thanksgiving First Bake…

 

[AnnieColleen]

I’m grateful for a quiet work day (yay holiday week).