Very Grateful for:
God, infused in others
recognizing my patterns of procrastination
just accepting them instead of fighting then, and, noticing that in the acceptance they dissipate quicker
realizing the inadvertent ways that I exclude others
Justin
and his graduation
and Melissa, who literally willed him back and helped him heal (read the gratitude lists here for background if you want—4/12/12, 4/30/12, 5/9/12, 11/28/11)
the hope that one day I will have a Melissa-type of person in my life
Rose’s kind comments
new ideas

You must find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossible. – Deepak Chopra

Very Grateful for:
*God’s family
*roses from Mom’s garden
* learning from others who have handled adversity
*a glimpse into what might have been
*my first twitter chat this year
*the word “rhizome”
*the realization that I have become so used to unkind reactions that I expect them and, perhaps, (timid, small font) the expectation draws them to me?
*beginning the change process after my realization
*the relief immediately after making a very difficult decision
*taking a day (which turned out to be three hours) of solid, slam writing-no breaks, just keyboard tapping

“Never fear the shadows.  They simply mean there’s a light shining nearby.”  ~Ruth E. Renkel

Very Grateful for
God’s patience as we sometimes attempt to usurp

the breath between thoughts

receiving a thumbs-up on my project proposal

recognizing how I attach my self-worth to the approval process

gently exiting from that attachment spiral

a ride to work

delivering my online presentation and

especially the 20 minutes following the end of the presentation!

hot cocoa

Rose’s comment on grace

We are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond. ~Gwendolyn Brooks

Very Grateful for

God’s grace

reading glasses

8 hours of sleep

carrot juice (less sugar!)

with a hot coffee chaser

university students who open the doors for me

a soft, herringbone shirt

organic chicken in a buttermilk and herb brine, waiting for me to return

along with Ruby, who waits.

Many people, myself among them, feel better at the mere sight of a book. ~Jane Smiley

Very Grateful for:

God’s color palette

A walk and talk with Amelia and Ruby

learning from Amelia that the Greek gods of mythology each had a tree associated with them and the stories behind the selections

a wry remembrance of Barbara Walters interview question, “if you were a tree, what tree would you be?”

this Pinterest board called “Color Me Happy” http://www.pinterest.com/allisajacobs/color-me-happy/

tennis yesterday

pausing to remember the life of our high school valedictorian, Harry M. (RIP)

how he patiently tutored me in Trig while his mother made delicious dinnners

he was “the best of us” as a classmate wrote on FB

good memories

She feels in italics and thinks in CAPITALS. ~ Henry James

Very Grateful for:

God speaking through kriyas
recognizing my cold following this past semester as a kriya, or blocked energy, a term introduced by Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way
a memory of my 3^rd grade teacher giving me the word “solitude” as my “weekly word”
the freedom of solitude
cleaning out closets
clear plastic bins
divided file folders
empirical studies organized in files
teeny tiny vases repurposed to each hold pins and paper clips

“As we gain- or regain- our creative identity, we lose the false self we were sustaining” ~Julia Cameron

Very Grateful for:

God’s Divinity

A new perspective on anger

Anger “tells us we can’t get away with our old life any longer” ~Julia Cameron

Finding two floral journals I knew that I had but had become temporarily lost

…and in so doing, I’m grateful for the reminder that what is lost always gets found

and I’m grateful to read Julia Cameron’s advice to “not pick up the first doubt”

my inner compass

and those who help to guide me when it becomes rusty

“We are meant to use anger as fuel to take the actions we need to move where our anger points us.” ~Julia Cameron

Very Grateful for:

God’s color palette
The almost Seussian green of spring lawns
Fresh flowers
The color of fresh flowers
Spring herbs in fresh tomato sauce
Time to read “The Artist’s Way” by Julie Cameron
Carol who introduced it to me
and Rose who learns from its pages too
fresh lavender and cane sugar ground together

The week between classes

“Creativity is like crabgrass—it springs back with the simplest bit of care”
~ Julia Cameron

Very Grateful for:

God’s writers
This post on Crystal’s webpage: “How to Press Publish: Share Yourself with The World” http://creativespiritualwomen.com/how-to-press-publish-share-yourself-with-the-world-cswshare/?awt_l=4ArvSU&awt_m=3Xs8z2pB4RN4_op

burgers with Dad

unintended consequences

reading glasses

#cswshare

“catching our ego in the act of keeping us small” (comment on Crystal’s blog post)

the day after the night of disappointment

a unexpectedly chilly morning- probably the last one before the heat begins

this breath and the next

“My ideas usually come not at my desk writing but in the midst of living.” ~Anais Nin

Very Grateful for:

God’s writers

Writers such as Carol, Rose, and Garrett who strengthened me during a weak time

putting my feet up-literally- along a wall ( http://www.yogaoutlet.com/userfiles/Guide/image/yogapose.jpg )

Mom’s little rose garden

the roses and herbs that grew back after the cold, snow, and ice

taking time to walk there …

…and cry remembering how daily she would nurture all that was there

watching the birds fly around the garden

for knowing they can fly closer to Mom than I can

Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world. ~Harriet Tubman