It has become somewhat cliche to write about thankfulness, things we normally take for granted and are willing to recognize as worthy. Still it is important to take a step back and take stock of what makes today good, the future compelling, to acknowledge that we are humbled by life and it’s challenges and need some help from time to time.

I suffer from being a perfectionist. I often see faults, cracks, fibs and lies before I see the beauty, the glory, the wonder. I am driven to seek more, and somewhat expect that of everyone else. It clouds my eyes, my vision so that I forget to appreciate the little things that are so perfect, so kind, so wonderful. Still my heart is filled with warmth and life has taught me many a lesson, perhaps the most important is being grateful, thankful and taking the time and effort to voice these gratitude’s.

So many things I am thankful for are due to the experience of being without them.

I am so thankful for being healthy. Right now I am fighting some silly little cold and it crushes me to be less than say 80%. Having spent normal amounts of time being injured, sick, in the hospital, I can not imagine the faith and courage it must take to fight off something long term and awful, like cancer, AIDS, on and on. True Grit right there. Be strong, fight on!

I am thankful for happiness, drive, having dreams big enough to keep me fighting trying, dreaming even more. I have been down at the bottom, soaked to the bone with sadness, not really wanting to be in existence anymore. I never want to go there again and am stoked to be far far away from it most of the time.

I am grateful for my great friends, employers, the great communities I live in. There are some wonderful people out there and I happen to know a good many. They can make the hard days better, the effort worth while. They also challenge me when I want only to be coddled and congratulated. Good friends bring out the best in us all.

I am blessed to have had many amazing adventures, experiences, thoughts and dreams. I am rarely bored, for this I am endlessly thankful. There is so much to do, to learn, to constantly challenge oneself with. Not easy to remember, to keep in mind all the time, got to live like you want to live!

Believe it or not but I am grateful for my two crazy little dogs. While they drive me almost completely nuts, they also greet me everyday with an intense excitement that is contagious. Always ready for action, seeking more adventure, more fun, more love. Seems I could learn a few things right there.

There is much more I am thankful for, like flowers, beautiful women, bike rides, sunsets, stars, phases of the moon, good food, adorable children, cute babies, sunny days, curious cats, tasty gluten free beer…endless really, for I am thankful for life, being alive, seeking to live, and life is full of many things wonderful. Sure there is plenty of stuff that sucks, but it is what you take from it, what you choose to live, surround yourself with that makes it worth savoring. Thank you Universe, thanks for everything!