Things Grateful For

Things grateful for: 

life is a display of things grateful for as well as those that gain our disillusionment, receive our harshest judgement, or fail to even reach the point of our attention. Often there's a change between these views in a single notice, consciousness shifts to sudden appreciation for something long ignored as if seen in new light, or we lose a sense of gratitude for a person no longer seen in vital role of purpose. This can happen without us even knowing it occurred all, that gratefulness itself no longer serves an essential role to our daily concerns. 

we take so much for granted.

yet to be thankful, our conscious awareness of things grateful for, is such a lovely practice. It's a mindful appreciation of what each and any moment holds to support or enhance our very existence. Somethings we take for granted our of great importance, such as the ease of how we take a breath, functioning so perfectly that we fail to give much notice util an issue comes to hand. One breath taken has infinite air to draw from, an entire sky given for the atmosphere of life. We live by single breath, just one oft repeated for a lifetime. To bring our awareness to the breath is an act of appreciation for how our bodies perform such a marvelous function, a cooperation of lungs, heart, and vital elements that require none of our attention, no effort of our own will for its continuation. We simply breathe. Noticing this, one breath, so easily forgotten in its gentle passing, and yet we are alive by it's continuous rhythm. Similar too is each beat of our heart, blood flowing through rivers of veins, even how our skin registers sensations and regulates the body's temperature, protecting us from germs. This moment alone, from breath, heartbeat, to touch - offers everything to be grateful for. 

if we only notice.

right now, of things grateful for, and I take my first sip of coffee, warm sensation to my lips, steam mingles with breath, and long familiar bitter taste is welcomed by my tongue. I am grateful for every aspect of this experience, but more so, that I'm able to be aware of this at all, how I can notice single aspect of a singular, seamless, expression of first sip of coffee. An entire world is involved in this, no, the universe really, it's all a participation of the whole to bring my favorite coffee cup to my lips. Of things grateful for...and with just a sip...

it's all the world.

~

Peace, Eric