gratitude

This is not a poem.

I am grateful for my parents. Without their support I would never have been able to do all of the things I have done. I'm grateful for them instilling the values of travel, freedom and independence in me from a young age. I'm grateful for their undying love and support. They are my backbone and my strength.

I am grateful for all of the living I have done in the last decade. I feel like I've crammed an entire lifetime's worth of experience into the last ten years. I'm grateful to have the tools that move me into a more balanced pace as life begins to slow down.

I'm grateful for the sun, the wind, the stars, the moon, the grass, the smells of water on air, the sound of crickets in late summer, fireflies in the trees and bushes, the way new snow sparkles like diamonds, thunder and lightning, strong driving rain, the sunrise and sunset.

I'm grateful for the men I've had in my life, the lessons they've taught me about patience, honesty, openness, communication, vulnerability and forgiveness. I am grateful for my losses for showing me that I can get back up after a fall, and that with time all things change. Hurt doesn't last forever.

I am grateful for my imagination. All the places I've traveled. My friends. My students. My curiosity about the world. Fresh food in plentitude. Plenty of water to drink and bathe in. Heat. Sunlight. My pets for all the love, affection and humor they bring into my life. Good health. Easy laughter.