19,425,000 Things I am Happy and Thankful For

Thanksgiving Day, is a time to spend time with family and friends; watch football and eat turkey and in general have a good time.

But as the name suggests, Thanksgiving Day is a day when we should spend some time reflecting on the good things in our lives and give thanks for it.

Most people live their lives with a perpetual black cloud over their heads, like Eeyore from the Winnie the Pooh cartoon.

Being happy, joyful and thankful or being miserable, a complainer and whiner – is totally up to YOU.

“Pain is inevitable. Misery is optional,” wrote Tim Hansel, the founder of Summit Expedition, a wilderness survival school for individuals seeking deeper experiences with themselves, others, and God.

“YOU CAN CHOOSE JOY. Life can be tough. Stress, disappointment, heartache, hurt-all are part of the human condition. But while pain is unavoidable, misery is optional!”  The freeing message of his book You Gotta Keep Dancin’ is that, no matter what your circumstances, you can choose to be joyful.

Tim Hansel speaks as one who knows. For more than 35 years he lived with continual physical pain, the result of a climbing mishap in the Sierras.  Tim doesn’t treat lightly the difficulties of anyone’s life. In his words, “this book is in no way meant to diminish the awfulness of pain, tragedy, and affliction. I don’t want to ‘celebrate pain,’ but more deeply understand the dignity of what can happen in it, through it, and because of it.”

I have so much to be thankful for. The title of this post “19,425,000 Things I am Thankful For” says it all (almost).

Do you remember the great song from the play RENT? In case you don’t, I am including the amazing lyrics of the timeless song:

COMPANY
525,600 minutes, 525,000 moments so dear. 525,600 minutes – how do you measure, measure a year? In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee. In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife. In 525,600 minutes – how do you measure a year in the life?

How about love? How about love? How about love? Measure in love. Seasons of love.

SOLOIST 1
525,600 minutes! 525,000 journeys to plan. 525,600 minutes – how can you measure the life of a woman or man?

SOLOIST 2
In truths that she learned, or in times that he cried. In bridges he burned, or the way that she died.

COMPANY
It’s time now to sing out, though the story never ends let’s celebrate remember a year in the life of friends. Remember the love! Remember the love! Remember the love! Measure in love. Seasons of love! Seasons of love.

While the song is wonderful, for Thanksgiving Day (and everyday should be Thanksgiving Day) replace the word “love” with “gratefulness.”

Gratefulness results in happiness.

“In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.” David Steindl-Rast

In my daily life I try to keep my eyes peeled for the myriad ways, I am blessed and spend a few moments “feeling” thankful.

My life so far consists of approximately 19,425,000 moments, being in my 38th year. I am thankful and grateful for every one of them.

I am thankful for living in one of the prosperous cities in the most prosperous country at the most prosperous time in the history of the world.

I am thankful for living in a democracy and in peaceful times.

I am thankful for having a steady job with good prospects.

I am thankful for living in a part of town where the crime rates are very low.

I am thankful for having slept through the night without any serious cares.

I am thankful for having no interest bearing debt.

I am thankful for my health and the health and physical and mental well being of my wife and children and my parents, siblings and in-laws.

I am thankful for being able to see in Technicolor and hear in stereo. Others can’t.

I am thankful for quiet time with my family.

I am thankful friends and their friendship.

I am thankful for wonderful co-workers.

I am thankful for Starbucks on every corner.

I am thankful for my grandparents, who are still around.

I am thankful for walking unassisted.

I am thankful for a great book.

I am thankful for a great song and for beautiful works of art.

I am thankful for the colorful personalities I meet everywhere.

I am thankful for the kindness of strangers (and those who are not so strange.)

I am thankful for a hot shower (which usually lasts way too long.)

I am thankful for the abundance of everything in every industry and store.

For all this and more, I am thankful and grateful.

This makes me happier, which causes the universe to send more good stuff my way.