365 always grateful.

Grateful for My Life I am grateful for my life and the opportunity I have to live it to the fullest each day. I did not completely appreciate this until I found out that my days might be numbered. After being diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer at age 37, I realized for the first time how precious my life is to me and to my loved ones. Since that time I have treated each day as a special gift. Every morning when I wake up and my feet hit the floor, I thank God for another day of life. I take nothing and no one for granted, and I tell people in my life how much I care about them on a daily basis. This experience has changed my life in many ways, and for that I am also grateful. I am now more courageous when it comes to taking risks, for I know that I may not have the same opportunity at a later time. I am also less serious, and I know that we must always see the lighter side if we are to facilitate change in our world. Life, I love you more and more each day! ~ Connie Ragen Green

Tragedy Fades, Gratitude Triumphs Kay excelled as an early-childhood educator and devoted mother. Her final years, though laced with persistent discomfort, reinforced my gratitude for the 40 quality years we spent together! On that fateful October 2008 morning, her pain was like all other post-dialysis cramps. But the ambulance journey to the emergency room was to be her last. Three years earlier, Kay had contracted the rare Goodpastures syndrome, an autoimmune condition where generated antibodies explosively smashed her kidneys. Weeks of chemotherapy, steroids, dialysis, and plasmapheresis produced myriad side effects, including temporary blindness. Eventually the antibody count subsided, but her immunity had been brutally compromised. Soon a heartvalve infection decreed urgent, risky, open-heart surgery. A possible kidney transplant offered her improved lifestyle potential. Our daughter’s tests revealed pleasing tissue compatibility. Kay recoiled from placing her at risk—though eventually she reluctantly consented. But her window of opportunity had closed. Her heart valves had become infected again. Prescribed antibiotics ineffective. proved Kay was told to prepare for her final act. Weeks later, a massive heart attack pulled down the curtain. Encores were impossible. She died aged 58—way too young! With sadness and gratitude intermingled, I daily celebrate wonderful memories of my truly amazing wife. ~ Vivian G. J. Hill

The Courage of Others When facing a challenge, what person’s story pushes you over the last wave of fear? Who inspires you to try, to move, to win? Everything we face today at some point was harder—perhaps even impossible —but someone did not give up. Someone made it possible. We can stand humbled by others’ stories, or we can honor them by moving ourselves, inspired to action by their stories. The courage of others can become our own. Molly Mackenzie’s parents were of different descent, one Cherokee and the other white. She married and had four children. Her husband was an alcoholic. There was a divorce, leaving her with no support. Why is this remarkable? She was born in 1887, a very different time. Undaunted, she started her own business and achieved success personally and professionally. She was my great-grandmother. Molly’s story has inspired me many times in the course of my life. I have no memory of her, only a faded photograph. It is, however, my honor to have her bonnet, sewn by her own hand. Passed down over generations, it is a reminder of her legacy. Her courage was a gift to all the generations to follow, including mine. ~ Kathi C. Laughman

Reconnect with Your Self The Chinese pictogram for “busy” is made up of two symbols: “heart” and “killing.” How do we kill our hearts? By our busy-ness—by denying the desire to unplug, unwind, sit down, take a nap, make love, take a walk, play, listen, and simply be still. “Sabbath” means not only to cease from activity, but also to put everything in its proper place. This is an invitation to stop what we are doing, to step back and observe what is out of place, and to realign ourselves with our original vision. It’s time to reconnect with the Divinity in ourselves and in the world. If this seems daunting, why not start with a Sabbath hour or a Sabbath evening any day of the week? When I say “I’m keeping Sabbath,” what I mean is that I’m loving myself enough to be a human being—not a human doing. It means being grateful for exactly who and where I am. A wholly kept Sabbath offers delight, joy, refreshment, and the deep knowing of how to reconnect with your soul so that you can be the person you wish to be in the world. ~ DiAnna Ritola

Everyday Gratitude If I were to ask you about those friends in your life who have made a difference, whose name would you share? Would this special one be from school years or adult life? For me, this particular friend has come later in my life. What a friend! We love hanging out together. We love taking walks and admiring the beauty of nature. We particularly like our earlymorning walks by the lake. It is so peaceful and beautiful. We are so grateful for this time. This friend is so supportive and accepting that I know I have total freedom to be myself. I cry and feel her sadness, laugh and feel her joy, express anger and feel her understanding. There is no judgment, just acceptance. When I have questions, I feel her piercing eyes reading my inner thoughts. Wow! What a friend! Her name is MooMoo, a name derived from her early years looking much like a miniature Jersey Cow. Yes, now you know! It is indeed my trusted, dearly loved friend—my precious dog. I am grateful for our days together. ~ Joyce Buford

Family Gratitude requires noticing—to be present in the moment. Our fast-paced existence challenges our ability to demonstrate gratitude. As a licensed counselor, I often ask my clients: “What are you grateful for?” Altering how we think and challenging ourselves to find something for which to be grateful are powerful tools in psychotherapy. A seemingly simple task that is often difficult—a reminder that simple is not the same as easy. It is only fitting that I challenge myself to answer the same question from time to time. Is the ease of the response an indication of the sincerity of the heart? A question left for all to ponder. For myself, I am grateful for the opportunity to work in this profession; as a counselor I impact the lives of my clients and as a university professor I impact the lives of other future counselors. Yet, most importantly, my gratitude extends to those in my life whom I have the privilege of calling “family.” Either through blood or by choice, a loving family lifts the spirit and lends purpose to life. To all those who have chosen me as I have chosen them: For you, I am grateful. ~ Alan Owens

The Healing Power of Gratitude Gratitude can be a powerful catalyst for healing. When my son was 20, he lost his battle with bipolar disorder and committed suicide. After my initial shock and grief, I settled into rage—rage at my son, rage at myself, rage at God, rage at a world that stigmatizes mental illness. I spared no one. Rage was uncomfortable, but it beat being depressed! I became grateful for my rage. It propelled me out of bed. It kept me talking to whoever would listen, thus avoiding dangerous isolation. It inspired me to make meaning of my loss. Being grateful for my rage curiously cajoled me into other “flavors” of gratitude. It became my mission to be grateful—for something, anything!— every day. This process softened the jagged edges of my rage and eased the ache in my broken heart. When I’m grateful, it’s easier to shift my focus from how much I miss my son, to how lucky I am to have been his mom. I can turn away from my suffering and step towards inner peace. One cannot experience distress and gratitude at the same time. Go ahead; try it. It’s impossible! Choose gratitude, and may the healing begin! ~ Celenia Delsol

Multiculturalism and Family Once a channeler explained my reason for being in this world and in my current identity as “trying out new things and meeting with other cultures.” Although I am not so much into the spiritual world myself, I have always thought there is some truth in this statement. I am grateful because the choices I made in the past let me get acquainted with fascinating people from different cultures, making me sensitive to the many human issues you might encounter no matter which culture you originally come from. I am grateful because I have had the freedom, resources, and enthusiasm to make the choices I made in the past. It was my enthusiasm that drove my instincts, which in turn gave me a colorful life. I am, of course grateful to my parents, my grandparents, and my extended family, who raised me with the ideals of freedom, patriotism, and morality. My friends and business peers have always contributed to who I am, so I can’t deny their role in my current state of consciousness. My biggest praise of gratitude, however, goes to my nuclear family—a lovely wife and a perfect girl, now 21. I am grateful we found each other. ~ Gokhan Karahan