The Grateful Thread

... see what I did there? *glances at the thread title*

But seriously...

I'm making this thread as a "basket" of sorts for YOU to write what you are currently feeling grateful for in your life. At the time of this post, (late November), this is in the spirit of Thanksgiving, but the problem is... being grateful and/or thankful shouldn't be narrowed down to just one day of the year... so this thread will hopefully be a year-round participation. Feel free to use it not only when you are feeling happy and excited, but even more importantly, when you are feeling down and miserable and need a place to mindfully remind yourself of not what you don't have, but what you DO have and how much it means that you have it at all. (and no, your post doesn't have to be as long as this one)

So, to start...

My daughter and my mother are the closest blood family members to me right now...

There was a time in my life that I didn't get to be with my daughter, and the things I went through so she could be with me after her mother died gives a great deal of value to the fact I do get to have her with me now.. reality could have gone much differently for me. She is the manifestation of all the love and wisdom I have received throughout my life, and every minute I get to spend with her is a reminder of that love and wisdom... without her, I honestly don't know what I would do with myself or where I would have ended up.

As for my mother, she's still here, still doing very strong while fighting her 4th round of cancer. She is an example of a strength I know of extremely few people to have... If it wasn't for her, things would be so much different (and likely not in a good way). The struggles she's been through raising me and all the rest of my siblings is incredible... I have her to thank for more in my life than I am even aware of... Thank you mom!

To many other family members such as my two sisters who have been more gracious to me than I ever deserved, I couldn't ask for better siblings...

I'm un-explainably grateful to those in my life who have passed on, for what they've contributed to my growth - my father who was a mentor in my teenage life, and my daughter's mother who showed me a level of acceptance and affection that very few people ever could, and bearing the person who is now keeping me firmly on track in my life. Thank you Dad and Kimberly... you guys will live on eternally to me...

I'm grateful to all the people such as my older brother and others who have stood as obstacles as well as support disguised as obstacles, for what they've taught me... who they've shown me not to become, and what they've shown me not to do... and what they've contributed to my knowledge of how difficult life can be for all of us. Believe it or not, I love all of you.

And finally, to TOTJO... Each one of you guys, whether I have talked to you already or not, are all utterly precious to me. You are all aspects of peace, knowledge, serenity, harmony, and the Force in this world among the emotions, ignorance, passion, chaos, and death that we experience every day. It is people like you who make me hopeful about the world that my daughter will be living in after I'm gone. There is not a day that goes by where I don't think about how thankful I am to have met every one of you that I have, including my own Alexandre and Brenna... You guys are holding me up through an extremely tough time right now and I don't know of anything that I could ever possibly repay you properly with... Thank you all for coming into my life and and making it that much more worth living.

Here's to you TOTJO...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XqBNHKpR64



Now it's your turn... don't be shy.

I am grateful for firstly my daughter who has taught me how to love, my granddaughter who I watched being born. They are my reason to smile no matter what.
I am grateful to all who helped raise me, who gave me strength and helped me discover the beauty in the world and understand the sorrow.
I am grateful for the time spent with Philip and Poppy, for Ken who showed me a different truth.
To Master Jestor, who puts up with me and Alexandra who always listens to me ramble.To the people here that make me feel a connection, even if they don't know it.
For all those who have touched my life in so many different ways and taught me valuable lessons. Even if I don't understand them at the time.
I am grateful that I am alive and living..

It may sound corny, but I'm just grateful to be here, alive. I went through a very difficult part of my life right after I got out of High School. I spent most of my twenties, and more than half of my thirties homeless. Suffice it to say, I saw things I wish I never had, experienced things that go over much better in a novel or movie than when you really go through them, and although I stand here now and look back on those years, they are still with me. Some of the worst things I went through have manifested as PTSD, but I am here. I am alive, and each new day is a new gift.

I now have a lovely wife, live in a Country that recognises our marriage and doesn't treat us like second class citizens and we have a beautiful family of furchildren. I am very, very poor money wise, but spiritually I am as rich as King Midas. I get up at 4am every day to go clean stalls and take care of horses. I am a Professional Groom, and proud of my Craft. I am grateful to be able to make money doing what I love, being around the animals that bring me such great joy.

I am grateful for Life.

There are so many things to be grateful for… where to begin?

I am grateful for my life and the life I have.
I am grateful for my daughter who I love and cherish ever moment with and fills my life with joy.
I am grateful for my fiancée, who I love and who fills my life with love.
I am grateful for my friends, and especially my dear friends, who support me and who I laugh with.
I am grateful for my spiritual well being and the peace it brings to my life.

I have a pretty wonderful life in my opinion and I am in awe every day that it is mine to live and I am eternally grateful for every second of it.
I am grateful…

I just did a post of 50 things, so I'm going to try and not copy anything from that.

I was looking at a painting when I noticed I was paying more attention to the colors then the entire picture. The contrasts, the shades.. I don't have a favorite color because I like them all for different reasons.. So at the moment I'm grateful for colors! They make the world beautiful and interesting.

I have a couple of friends who have had loved ones pass on recently, too. Although making me feel a small part of their grief, it also makes me feel grateful to have the beliefs I do. It also makes me feel very fortunate to have my family and their health.

May the Force be with us all.

Thanks giving isn't one of our holidays, so do I have to be grateful for anything ? Remember, I'm French -- we complain about everything ...



:lol:

Of course, I'm only taking the piss there. I'm grateful for a great many things, even the things I tend to bitch about, strangely enough. I don't have much of a family left to speak of, but those I do have, though far, are healthy and reasonably happy. I have many wonderful people around me, I enjoy my work and my leisure equally. I have an artistic activity ...

I don't teach in the schools any more, but still have contact with several of my former élèves/étudiants and those are better relationships now that the whole prof <---> élève imposed séparation is out of the way.

Then of course there's the TotJO ... I don't know exactly what I do here, but I'm glad to participate. I have the most wonderful of apprentices to learn from and share things with (cheers Brenna & Ethan), the most wonderful camarades among our fellow Knights, and pretty good friendships all throughout.

And ren doesn't scream at me too much ... yet.

This is far from an exhaustive list ; I'm grateful for most things really. My life is far from miserable ... and I'm certainly grateful to be able to recognise that today.

Ethan has a good point : we would most certainly all do well to come back to this thread throughout the year, add to it, show gratitude as we feel it, when we feel it. It could be a sort of "gratitude savings account" for the times we're a little lacking and need to come around to make a withdrawl ...

I’m grateful for my life, in which I have been offered so much. I have had more experiences and opportunities than any one person needs.
I am grateful for my family, who keeps me grounded and supports me no matter what insane thing I’ve done.
I am grateful for my fiancée who I love and respect, who makes the world just seem… more.
I am grateful for my friends all over the world who enrich my life just by being themselves, and who make me laugh! And for the people here at TOTJO who help me grow as a person.
I am grateful for my work and for the many people who make what I do fulfilling.
I am grateful for my silly little dog, lemon meringue pie, things that sparkle and Disney movies!



Thank you E, for the reminder that has me sitting here feeling overwhelmed with how fortunate I am (not to mention the fact that I have tears rolling down my face and coworkers coming in to see if Im ok, and me just laughing through it.) I am so lucky.

Thank you Proteous for sharing so much of yourself. I hope your mother is doing well.

For me I am grateful for my wife. I've waited a long time to be with her and I am forever grateful.

I am also forever greatful for my large family. The list is so long it would never end and ye all know I would never stop talking or in this case writing about each of them.

Last but not least I am greatful for all our animal companions that make our lives so much more enjoyable.

I am grateful for every person who continues to believe in me, without them I would be a shell of the man I am today.

I am grateful to stand on the shoulders of giants who came before me, they have given me the courage to reach out and look a little higher.

I'm grateful for this thread ...

... let's keep it going --

-- Thanksgiving Day is every day.