Several years ago, Rev Guy Williams challenged me and other in a class he gave to count out 100 reasons we were grateful every single day for a week. At first it seemed impossible, but as I became able to count more and more ways I was grateful I began to lose track. Eventually I realized I had a lovely set of Mala beads of Lapis lazuli – the longer string with 108 beads. I began to use them to count off “my gratitudes.”
I don’t remember the first Thanksgiving Day I actually listed 108 things I’m grateful for on the web, but it’s become a tradition of mine.
If you actually read the list you’ll discover big things, little things and lots of people. Being willing to list all sorts of things is the key to a gratitude list. Cathy Miller is a writing buddy of mine and when I listed her and looked up her website low and behold she’s got 50 Thanksgiving Gifts I Am Grateful For.
I know we’re onto something here – if you want to join us with your own list of 3 things or 5 things or 10 or any other number you choose, please do so, and if it’s on your own blog, post the link here and I’ll gather them up. Or you can just make your list in comments here, or over at Cathy’s place.
- That I make my living writing
- That I work for myself
- My three kids, Linda, Mike and Steve
- My daughters-in-law, Stacey and Gloria
- My daughter’s husband, Chris
- Their families and that I get to play with them.
- My four grand kids, Emily, Ben, Valerie and Ben
- Cait
- Carol
- Lori Widmer – my partner in About Writing Squared and the 5 Buck Forum
- Lauri S. Friedman – part of my Mastermind Group
- Helen Chang – part of my Mastermind Group
- Martin
- MzTiz
- SuzzieQ (the outdoor cat I’ve adopted.)
- John (who took care of Suzzie Q until he couldn’t any more
- The Open Heart Sangha
- Deerpark Monastery
- Thich Nhat Hanh
- Zen
- Meditation and that I’ve been taught how to do it
- The house I live in
- My office view of the canyon
- The deck overlooking the canyon
- The canyon
- The pair of hawks
- The crows
- The hummingbirds.
- The other small birds that hang out nearby
- Daddy Long Legged spiders
- Box spiders
- Thom Hartmann
- President Barack Obama
- Awakening the Dreamer which restored me to hope
- Rule and Gabby who taught me to facilitate Awakening the Dreamer Symposiums
- Jimmy L. whose going to help me introduce Awakening the Dreamer into the community of City Heights where I live in San Diego
- The Pachamama Alliance which developed the Awakening The Dreamer Symposiums
- Van Jones
- Rev. Guy Williams
- Rev. Kathy Hearn
- Sweetwater Zen Center
- WorldBeat Cultural Center
- Elizabeth Woolrych, potter at Studio 6 in Spanish Village
- Balboa Park
- The internet and my connection to it
- my computer
- electricity
- clean water
- natural gas
- my car
- the roads that are maintained for me
- the members of the 5 Buck Forum
- John Soares
- Jenn Mattern
- Deb Ng
- Amy Goodman of Democracy Now!
- Fig tree
- home grown tomatoes
- Ellie Winslow
- the library
- Sarah
- good coffee
- good tea
- Becky
- John
- Stephanie
- Sheri
- Jerrilynn
- Craig
- Activist San Diego
- Occupy San Diego
- Occupy Writers
- Occupy Wall Street
- Tweetdeck
- butterflies
- lady bugs
- roses
- succulents
- lavender
- Jayde
- Alex
- Josh
- composting
- basal
- pepper plants
- rosemary
- cosmos
- City Farmers Nursery
- Cathy Miller
- Craigslist
- telephones
- cell phones (I think I’m more grateful than not)
- Thanksgiving Gathering: Indigenous People Gather Annually on Alcatraz
- Heifer.org – give gifts that really mean something
- Kiva.org – you can make micro loans too
- Living Compassion – a great charity to contribute to
- Ganish
- Controversial Bookstore
- National Public Radio
- American Public Radio
- Leo LaPorte, the Tech Guy
- My iPad
- Tom and Ray, the Car Guys on Car Talk
- Jonathan Fields
- Guy Kawasaki
- On the Media – an important radio show
- On Being – an amazing radio show
Hey! Great idea. I think I’m going to write a post with my own list. It may not be 108 long though. I don’t think I can even THINK of that many things. It will be a good post for the end of the year. 🙂
Anne, I’m grateful for you, too. You’re a blessing.
This is cool! I have never thought of the possibility to be grateful of so many things… I guess only if you start listing them you discover them… Thank you Annew 🙂
Thanks for letting us know some wonderful people, topics and websites. I like learning what goes on in this vast world of ours.
I’m impressed! I saw the headline and was like 108?? That’s impossible! But I’m actually thankful for many of those, too, now that I think of it. I love your worldview and I’m thankful I found this site.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Start with a smaller number Amelia, and build up to 108 or whatever. See, you’ve already recognized some 😉 And you put up your own list on the 21! Ten is a great number. We are of like minds.
I’m honored to be on your list and appreciate your shout-out. 🙂 I am an underachiever at 50, but love this exercise!
You have some good ones. I especially like that I work for myself. Amen to that.
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Anne, and all your readers!
You? An underachiever? I don’t think so… 60 mile walk? Successful freelance writer?