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I’ve been enjoying reading responses posted about gratitude, and I wanted to share some comments that were sent straight to my inbox via email.

I’ve always been amazed at how the idea of gratitude is something so contagious, so large, that it continues to unfold and inspire even more. Read on…

Kathy wrote: Friendship, fellowship, bullies biting their tongues, and of course the Turkey Bowl!

Sue added: “the full moon.”

Marcia wrote, “Yes, we who are aware of the richness in our relationships and the depth of those seemingly mundane activities in our daily lives are indeed lucky.”

And if you’re reading this now, for what are you NOW grateful?

It is so easy for people to get swept away at this time of year with the hustle and bustle, obligations, and routines, that they forget to stop and look around. 

While we were driving home from an early Thanksgiving dinner tonight with our extended family and dear friends, two extraordinary things happened.

First, Melody and I both saw a shooting star and stopped to acknowledge how fortunate we are. A moment later we saw a white-tailed deer grazing in the dark, and when she noticed us, I truly understood the phrase “deer in the headlights.” She was being fed by the abundance the universe provides, and I felt grateful.

Grateful to have a loving family, an abundance of friends, good health, work that I love. Grateful to have a home on the island, and a peaceful space in which to rest. Grateful for a spiritual connection that does not waiver, and a gift for expression that I cherish.

Yes, I’m grateful for stuff, too, but it’s the little things like seeing a shooting star that make this Life amazing to me. For what are you grateful?

I’ve been thinking a lot about Hurricane Ike recovery these days. On the two year anniversary since the storm, I wonder how people are doing, really.

There are some responses like, “We’re glad to be back, but we’re still innundated with stuff to do.” And others say they’re still reeling from some of the bureaucracy. Still, others talk about how difficult times are, how they’ve accrued what seems like endless debt, and how business has not been the same since the storm (unless they own a series of large hotels or restaurant chains along the Seawall).

I wonder how the average person is doing, two years later. Are you still having flashbacks of stuff on your lawn? 

How has Ike enriched (yes, enriched) your life?  For example, I now know that I can live with a lot less stuff than I had before Ike. I call that an enriching experience.

How are you still dealing with the after-effects? Are you working as much? Are you still unpacking? Do you still have nightmares? Are you closer with your neighbors if you’ve moved back to the island? Are you living on the mainland now, or farther?  How has your professional life changed?  How have your children changed?

And if you weren’t personally affected, how was your life touched by Ike?  Do you even remember it, or does Hurricane Katrina still stand out for you as the worst one?

If you had one piece of advice for people who need to evacuate before a storm, what would it be?

Share your story. I, for one, want to know.

I’ve been wondering…

How often do you feel a moment of pride and forget to mention it to anyone, especially the person you are feeling it about?

With Memorial Day just yesterday, I’ve been pausing to remember. Not only those who have gone before us to fight for our freedom, but those who live with us every day, inspiring us to be all we can.

Today I am proud of Georgia Sherrod, my daughter’s fifth grade Language Arts teacher. She inspired the children to write a fairy tale for four year olds. Her students became authors and illustrators on this project, both in and out of class. A large part of their grades this quarter depends on their work.

In the spring, when so many teachers are winding down after “the test,” Mrs. Sherrod fired up her students to try something creative. She did it at a time when the weather warms up, when the days are sunny, and when the kids would rather be outside than doing homework. She pushed the envelope and got great results. In my book, she gets the award for Best Teacher as well as the award for Best Role Model for Other Teachers.

And yes, I am proud that my daughter, Joy, wrote one of the seven winning books that will be given to the four year old class library. (Believe me, it was hard to stay out of her project. At most, I asked her to check the spelling on a couple of words, hung out with her while she glued her pages down, and formatted the page so it would print correctly for the size of the book.)

Joy did a terrific job. At age 11, she formulated the story line, the conflict, the resolution, the color. She “owned” the project as hers, and it shows in the results of her work. Look for copies of The Quest of the Missing Gem sometime in the future.  She’s got some talent!  And yes, I’ve told her how proud I am of her. 

So, I wonder… who have you forgotten to tell that you’re proud, or that you remember something that mattered to you? 

I’d like to hear your stories, too.