Making a list and checking it twice

Sparkling lights

Dear Santa,

My friend, Suzi Banks Baum–you know who she is–the one with Lake Superior flowing in her veins and heart–even though she lives somewhere out East, maybe in the Berkshires or some place near that Atlantic Sea–posted a blog yesterday which ignited my beating heart big time.

‘Twas a gratitude post, Santa, you know, the kind where you state for what you’re thankful, instead of what you want.

We humans are such wanters.

We want this, and this, and how ’bout that too?

They say that gratitude balances our wanting.

When wanting tips the scales in our lives, we might turn to a little gratitude and realize what we already heave.

When gratitude blisses us out, OK, maybe it’s OK to express a little wanting.

Santa, with Suzi’s example, I am making a list and checking it twice.

Telling you what I’m grateful for today, what blessings abound.

Christmas carnation

1)  I am grateful for all my friends, near and far.  Gosh, friends make us rich, don’t they?  I have friends from AUSTRALIA and AFRICA and SCOTLAND, can you believe it?  As well as Susan and Catherine and Ruth and Jan and so many more that can actually be hugged in person.

2)  Santa, I am so grateful for our wood stove that keeps us warm, bless its eternal blazing heart of fire wood.

3)  I am so very thankful for blogging, for the gift of being able to share my secret heart every single day, if the heart allows itself to be shared.  My goodness, who would have imagined this gift a half century ago?  Oh my goodness!  To think–my only readers two decades ago were chattering chipmunks!

Chipmunk listening to my stories

4)  Thank you for the support of the Universe.  Thank you for the gift of Trust.  Please open me to more trust (sorry, Santa, I’m talkin’ to the Universe for a moment.  Please.  More trust in knowing that what arrives is the next teaching, the next best possible gift.)

5)  For a sense of humor, the ability to laugh at Life’s silliness and craziness and unpredictability.  We NEED to be able to laugh!  It’s all so chaotic and nuts…what else can we do besides take ourselves too seriously?  Thank you for the gift of laughter.  Thank you, thank you, thank you Mr. Ho Ho Ho.

6)  Santa, dear Santa, I am grateful for family.  Even though family can challenge every boundary we’ve created, they stretch our hearts to open more and more in love.   They’re so often there for us.  Thank you for the sweet gifts and challenges.  Keep openin’us…

Precious family

7)  I am grateful for new opportunities.  Man oh man, if you keep your eyes open, new opportunities present themselves endlessly!  New ways of doing things.  New ways of responding.  New friends.  New possibilities.

8)  I am grateful for writing.  For the love of words which point toward love itself.  For the ability to share–even when my words miss the mark.  And the fact that people listen…oh, my, Santa, you don’t have to EVER give me another present!

Thanks, Santa!

9)  We can’t forget health can we?  I am grateful for health.  Even though the old gall bladder disappeared a couple of years ago, the body still thrives.  Oh, thank you, body!  Please stay healthy for the next ten years.  Please.  As we won’t have good health insurance anymore…no, forgive this lack of gratitude in the midst of a gratitude post.  I know the Universe will take care of us.

10)  Santa, let’s wrap this up before Christmas Eve (or at least before I get to work) by passing the torch to the reader who might like to quickly add his or her own gratitude list and check it twice.  I’m sure you’ll read every one of the comments, dear Santa, because all of my readers have been good boys and girls this year!

Love, Kathy