Thanks for EVERYTHING...

I am feeling grateful for some weird things this morning ...

• My daughter woke up late and was snarky and unappreciative when I drove her up to the school for an early run through with her French project group. I am grateful for that. She was up late last night at a dress rehearsal for a production of Little Shop of Horrors and stayed in town with me, so I got to spend this extra time with her. She is a magnificent, "rapidly growing/involved in everything/figuring out who she is" young lady - so some morning grumpiness is just fine with me.
• My elbow hurt at the gym this morning. I was recently diagnosed as having bony growth from an old improperly healed break and will require surgery in the fall. This morning's pain was actually great news in that I realized that it has not caused me any grief in over a week - after 2 months of solid woes. Until today's little zing (that I caught in time and adapted to), I had taken for granted that it has become marvelously manageable.
• I am missing an unbelievably great lineup at the Ottawa Blues Festival this summer! This world class event has expanded way beyond "blues", and this year includes a mind-blowing collection of some of my favourite artists ... Girl Talk, John Butler Trio, Soundgarden, My Morning Jacket, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Skrillex, Sphongletron Experience, Ben Harper, Black Keys, Billy Talent, Flaming Lips, Joe Satriani ... as well as literally hundreds of classic acts and new finds. For a music festival fan like me, where could there be a blessing in this??? Well, I am missing the Ottawa festival because I am already committed during that stretch - to Camp Bisco (with Jack!) the first weekend and to coaching a youth wrestling camp in Timmins for the latter part (with Carol Hunyh - GOLD medalist from the 2008 Olympic Games - and Katy will be training with her!). Ahhh - Life's rich pageantry :)
• I have a ridiculous pile of tasks, on my desk in front of me, to get through this morning. At first glance it is almost overwhelming. But what a great problem to have in recessionary times, with people all around clamoring for any work at all. I have loud music on and a home-made latte half-finished, so will cut this post short and get at it!

There really isn't much that can happen to you in which you cannot find something to be thankful for. I will leave you with a few of my favourite thoughts on that topic ...

• "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." ~ Dr. Seuss
• "There is nothing either good nor bad, but that thinking makes it so." ~ Shakespeare
• "There is no such thing as gratitude unexpressed.  If it is unexpressed, it is plain, old-fashioned ingratitude."  ~ Robert Brault
• "Gratitude is an art of painting an adversity into a lovely picture." ~ Kak Sri
• "If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get." ~ Frank A. Clark
• "The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!" ~ Henry Ward Beecher
• "What a miserable thing life is:  you're living in clover, only the clover isn't good enough." ~ Bertolt Brecht
• "Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted." ~ Aldous Huxley