This is my monthly download of daily gratitude lists. I realized something about gratitude lately that might be obvious to everyone else: gratitude keeps you in the present moment. When you are grateful, you are loving what is. You are not wishing for something in the future or yearning for something in the past.
March 2014
Thank you for enlightenment moment by moment; being cradled like a baby at age 48; repairing mistakes; homemade chicken soup that lasts all week; being able to serve those in need.
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Thank you for riding bikes to school; 4 year old Fox still needing to nap in my arms; checking the wind everyday in hopes of flying a kite with Jett; long walks in the woods with Oliver; the emergency help that I was able to provide to Dusty.
Thank you for realizing that we are all enlightened; catching myself un-enlightening myself; having my flyer distributed to an entire school digitally; Rarasaur’s love and direction; the B4Peace Redbubble page.
Thank you for Fox making a rocket out of a cardboard box; Jett wanting to read for 20 minutes a day; Fox sing/narrating whatever he does–”I’m looking for a little ball”; Pediatricians who remember your children; seeing the simplicity of enlightenment.
Thank you for getting authentic with an old colleague; the montessori school that supported my free talk; when my young sons talk to each other–”Hey Jett, it’s daytime”; a week without any television; Bastille’s song “Pompeii.”
Thank you for the cacophony of 4 year olds singing Happy Birthday; flying kites on a windless day; friends surprising us with a free dinner; vaseline mohawks; slow motion basketball with fathers.
Thank you for striking up meaningful conversations with strangers; gymnastic obstacle courses; early bedtimes; consistent routines; ripe papaya from Mexico.
Thank you for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar; reading 10 books at a time; Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn; hugs for no reason; Guerrilla Counseling.
Thank you for plastic Groucho Marx glasses; TPumps Boba Tea; reading in the park; the clearance, open box HD camcorder I got for 90$; hearing from my dear friend, Lawson.
Thank you for allergy medicine for my sons; Ms Tsai, Jett’s compassionate 1st grade teacher; parents willing to learn; elementary school musicals; a conversation with Adyashanti.
Thank you for the generosity of Rarasaur and Gold Fish; Peace Cat t-shirts; being able to wear whatever I want; re-incorporating my 11 year old self; Gary Hein’s counseling.
Thank you for my sons’ love of Star Wars; Fox playing with the big boys; Pharrell’s song “Happy”; feeling the vitality of youth as a 48 year old; bike helmets for kids.Image may be NSFW.
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Thank you for Alfie Kohn’s love of children; research on the detrimental effects of grades; research on the ineffectiveness of homework; unconditional parenting; telling my boys I love them for no reason.
Thank you for every compassionate parent who showed up to the Raising Compassionate Boys talk; 45 minutes of Q&A; all the supportive texts and emails I got after the talk; feeling like I’m doing what I was born to do; Angela for watching the kids.
Thank you for Adyashanti’s myth analysis; realizing the connection between the body and awakening; the new Muppet’s movie; Tina Fey’s subtle comedy; my son sharing his boba tea with me.
Thank you for old fathers beating high school kids in pick up bball; a whole day in the park; rainbow loom; ice chests on a hot day; udon noodles.
Thank you for all the people who want me to counsel them; releasing old body/psychological constrictions; letting the body and the mind settle; Jett meditating for 12 minutes today; my wife’s humor.
Thank you for old cotton sweats that feel like home; all the email subscribers to my Parents4Compassion Newsletter; deepening friendships with strangers; the LeSportsac our generous friend bought for us; teriyaki salmon.
Thank you for clean public bathrooms; TedX talks; everyone on the path to awakening; kleenex after your son sneezes; my wife cooking dinner last night.
Thank you for the “Tell me who you are” exercise I did with Jolana; the invisible people who clean up the streets; an enlightening lunch with Michael; dancing without gender restrictions; liberation from the opinions of others.
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Thank you for Jett passing his red blet test; Fox getting to do Kung Fu with Jett; Jett deepening into meditation; all the conversations about parenting I’m having after the Raising Compassionate Boys talk; Dan Siegal agreeing to an interview; the compassion consortium this Friday.
Thank you for chia seeds; teriyaki salmon; ice cream mochi; STRAWBERRIES IN SEASON; farmer’s markets on a sunny day.
Image may be NSFW.
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