Looking to the New Year: What's on My Mind?

Tremendous gratitude for the great joy people and animals brought into my life in 2014: family, friends, teachers, abures, clients, and Gem Gem. Listen, most demonstrations of gratitude stop there; yet, it's never inappropriate to appreciate ourselves: at minimum, just for showing up. For being able to forgive ourselves: each of us makes a lot of mistakes; so we try to make them right. If we can't, be grateful that we have the mindfulness treat others and ourselves gently. Be grateful that though so much sticky negativity tries to glom onto us with every step, that we dust ourselves off and stand up again. Let's show gratitude to ourselves for staying the course, having faith in ourselves, changing flexibly when necessary, focusing on the future, pulling something beautiful from sunrise to sunrise, staying socially conscious, believing that we belong to all others and that they belong to us--and telling them as often as possible. Be grateful that, against the odds, we continue to act with humanity, compassion, and empathy. Be grateful that we choose to give and serve over any other temptation. By the way, laugh, laugh at yourself, cry when it strikes you, but keep a sense of humor. Gentle irony accepted. Happy New Year.