A Day for Gratitude

Today is Blog Action Day -- a day when bloggers around the world are posting their thoughts about preserving our environment, about saving Mother Earth from human destruction. Hardly the greenest "greenie", I wasn't sure what I wanted to write about Blog Action Day, until I read Liz Strauss' post of the day in which she writes:

The question tugs at me do have a hope of healing the planet when we’re so woeful at healing ourselves, our missteps, and our own hurt feelings. What if we healed our personal environment first? What if we brought our whole selves to make a whole Earth?

Gratitude is a fundamental attitude and practice in most every spiritual orientation. Being grateful benefits you, the ones to whom you are thankful, and, by spreading positive energy, the whole world. So, for Blog Action Day, I offer this suggestion: make the world a better place by making today a day to remember your gratitude.

Sometimes, we forget to say thank you. We get too busy, and miss opportunities to speak our gratitude. Sometimes we -- I -- even take people, gifts and blessings for granted.

So, it's good to have days and times when we deliberately stop everything and make a conscious effort to speak our gratitude for all the goodness in our lives. Yesterday was my birthday -- what better way to celebrate another year of life than to publicly say AmpleThanks! to people who have supported, taught, healed, nourished, inspired, and/or loved me in the past year (with advanced apologies to those I've omitted):

• Teachers/Guides/Coaches: Adam Kayce, Cynthia Loy Darst, Jeff Herring, Joanna Rueter, Linda Heron Wind, Mark Silver.
• Healers/Physicians: Ceidlin Beller, Deeanne Bevin, Kathy DiMartino & Mary Anne Green, Kori Tolbert, Mary Coan, May Johnstone, Stephanie Bartlett, Walt Fritz. Without your care, I would not be as well and alive as I am.
• Fat Activists/Size Acceptance Leaders: The entire Board of ASDAH;  Marilyn Wann, Miriam Berg, Paul Campos, Paul Ernsberger, Barbara Bruno, Jon Robison; and all the wise women of the Fat Poets' Society.
• Loving Friends: Auntie Susie, Bev & Larry H., Diana R., Diane H., Dylan E., Janice R., Jody F., Jody L., Jonesie, Karen A., Marcia N., Michele S., Mike E., Paula B., PegE., Ruth B., Sharlene C-L, Terry E., Tracy S.
• My Support Team, who keep me sane: Ann B. And Nancy K.
• To My Beloved Clients: A promise of confidentiality means no names here; know that you each have taught me much, and blessed my life by sharing yours.
• A special thank you for a surprise birthday gift: Steve McGrath of 1 Cool File (a directory of blogs, themes, plug-ins, freeware/shareware, and much more) provided a very generous prize that I won last week in Problogger's anniversary celebration. Thank you, Steve!!  (And thanks to Problogger's Darren Rowse, too!)
• Last but very much not least, my family: Hubby Elliot, and son Dan & DIL Leigh.  Also, mother, mother in-law, siblings, siblings-in-law, and niblings too numerous to name.

Dear reader, who is waiting to hear "thank you" from you?  Don't wait for your birthday -- they, you, and the planet deserve --and need -- your gratitude today.

AmpleThanks & AmpleHugs,
Anne

Photo from Flikr.com by psd.

Comments

[Joanna Young]

Hello Anne, and happy belated birthday :-)

I too think that gratitude can have a powerful, positive impact on the way that we feel, and the way that we live. I'm glad to see so many people finding their own words and pictures to describe that sense of gratitude and personal connection today.

It's a way of claiming back the agenda from other people and saying "hey! this stuff's about us too."

So thanks for sharing your words.

Joanna

[Dylan]

Hey, thanks Anne, and right back atcha. You are a blessing to so many, and I think this is a great idea, cleaning up the inner environment! Yah!

[Steve McGrath]

Hi,

I'm glad that you won the 1 Cool file $300 prize and on your birthday on top of that. :D

Problogger and his sponsors made a lot of happy people that week.

Steve

P.S.
I hope you spend the prize on something just for you ;)

[Peggy Elam, Ph.D.]

Thank YOU, Anne. And Happy Birthday a little late!

[Coach Anne]

Thank you Joanna, and thank you again Dylan, Steve, and Peggy, for your comments.

What a fun day this has been!! Appreciative comments and birthday wishes here and by email, not only have me glowing -- they also tell me that lots of people are smiling and feeling good, having been touched by this post.

See what a little gratitude can do?

Imagine the good energy in the world, if we were all to feel and express thankfulness just a bit more often.

[Janice Rivenburg]

Happy, Happy belated birthday Anne! I say a prayer to the angels everyday for my family and friends, so please know that you are thought of every day in my prayer. I was so touched to receive your e-mail today, and honored to be listed as one of your friends. Thank you, that meant so much to me:-)

[Adam Kayce : Monk At Work]

You're most welcome, and happy birthday as well!

I, too, got a lot from Liz's post, and the angle she took on Blog Action Day. Gratitude is always a good choice.

[May Johnstone]

Thanks Anne, what a delicious feeling to be appreciated. I'm 'passing it on'...

[Joanna Rueter]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNE!!! And thank you for including me in your list..I am very glad to have been able to contribute to your year ...that is a blessing - and a blessing to hear from you.
Joanna Rueter

[Coach Anne]

Janice, Adam, May, Joanna,

My face is wearing a HUGE AmpleSmile :) for the birthday wishes and also for the smiles I feel in your hearts.

May, "passing it on" is exactly what i hope all my readers will do.

[Lesleigh]

Anne:

Thank YOU for your beautiful words. Gratitude can be a wonderful gift, a way of connecting and of honoring. My thanks to you for your kindness, your wisdom, and your strong spirit and sense of self! Bless you, and happiest of (belated) birthdays!

Hugs,
Lesleigh

[Alexandra Teklak]

We would love your help sharing the word and message of www.theiamgratefulproject.org shifting people into a space of gratitude! Peace be with you.