So many times we roll our eyes when someone says we should be grateful – sometimes it’s hard to stay positive in a culture that tells us if we only had THIS we could be happier, and if we didn’t have THAT life would be better – we are bombarded with messages that we don’t have enough, and we are told if we are not HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY 24/7 something is wrong with us, and we had better get more while we still can. Yet when we stop to count our blessings suddenly the day looks brighter.

Many years ago I was complaining to a friend about my job – the conversation went something like this:

“ugh I hate my job!”
“you have a job??”
“um, yeah…”
“wow! And they pay you??”
“um, yeah, but…”
“and how do you get to work?”
“you know I drive to work!”
“you have a car????? AND a license to drive it???”
“well, yes, but…”
“and where do you park the car at night?”
“very funny – I park it in the parking garage at my apartment…”
“you have an APARTMENT????”
“yes, I have an apartment…”
“WOW!! You have a job, a car to get you there, a license to drive the car, and an apartment that is yours to sleep in when you get home!!! Did you have ANY of that six months ago??”
“uh, not exactly…”
“It sounds to me like your life is pretty incredible!!”
“Well, yeah, if you want to look at it THAT way….” 🙂

So… for my friends and readers who are thinking to themselves “damn little to be grateful about that I can see”…or “ugh are you REALLY going to do gratitude for the WHOLE month of November????” I would like to ask a few questions – questions that I ask myself when I find I am taking life for granted. I realize not everyone can answer yes to all of these, but maybe they will be enough to help you start a list of your own… so here goes! The official YAY GOD Gratitude List Starter Kit!!

1) Do you know where you will sleep tonight?
2) Did you eat today? Are chances good that you will eat tomorrow?
3) Do you have indoor plumbing?
4) Do you know where your children are?
5) Is there more than one choice of outfits in your closet/drawers or are you wearing everything you own?
6) Do you have electricity? Heat? Internet? (obviously if you are reading this, at least one of these is a yes!)
7) Do you know how to read? Write?
8) Is there toilet paper in your bathroom? (<- one of my personal favorites – I have not run out of toilet paper in 25 years)
9) Does your spouse/partner know you love them?
10) Do you realize it is never too late to tell them if you are both still breathing (see #9)

May you contemplate your many blessing today, and hang with me as we start the gratitude alphabet tomorrow – maybe you can start an alphabet list of your own!
YAY GOD ❤