In appreciation

There's no shortage of studies and articles and advice about "the importance of being grateful". Just google it and you'll get: About 225,000,000 results (0.53 seconds) 

Even a thousand+ years ago it was talked about: 

When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love …” -Marcus Aurelius

This is one area of life that comes easy to me -- I am good at being grateful. I constantly go throughout my day and have moments that literally hit me and make me feel physically thankful for some small thing at that moment. (Yes, yes, I still have plenty of moments when I gripe and complain [usually about wet socks or long lines], but that is not my regular M.O. I'm much more likely to be content and appreciative of things...)

For example, I was driving home from work this past week and I suddenly thought about how cool it is that I get to drive -- how much I appreciate having a car that I control and get to zip down the street to wherever I need to go. It was an odd but very distinct realization. Not sure what caused it but it was a tiny moment of out-of-the-ordinary joy.

I regularly see things in nature that take my breath away and make me gasp in delight - like colorful sunrises & sunsets, the moon during the day, sunbeams shining down, flowers popping up in the middle of concrete and butterflies dancing by. I even get fascinated by ants and whatever it is that they are doing in line.

The sounds of a laughing child grab my attention and immediately make me smile (or sometimes make me teary-eyed at remembering the days of little Naomi and Danielle laughing.). 

It makes me happy when friends or family mentioned that they too are doing Wordle and Connections and the other New York Times daily puzzles, and I appreciate having that in common with them. 

I'm frequently thankful for my job, and all the amazing things I get to do at work, and my good health and all that it affords me. Also, I've stated many times what an amazing family I have, and I'm in appreciate of this on an on-going basis!

I commonly pause to reflect on the time I get to volunteer and help others. Many people want to do something, but just don't have the capacity in their schedule to commit to things, and yet I get to do these things regularly!

I'm thankful for this God-given gratitude personality trait; it sure makes life enchanting and captivating!