By Lori Deschene | Tiny Buddha
At night, when you think about how you spent your day, how often do you focus on all the things you had to do?
I worked. I ran errands. I went to the gym. I made dinner.
And when you tell someone about this kind of day, how often do you do it with a less-than-enthused tone?
I suspect this is the norm for many of us, at least during the workweek.
Commitments, to work and family, can engulf our lives and seem like chores, not choices and chances.
I distinctly remember one day, years ago, when my day felt particularly packed, stopping to remind myself that I had chosen the schedule I was keeping.
I had chosen to get up early to write, to accept the job that supported me, to go to yoga in the evening, and to do laundry and other household tasks after that.
And I was fortunate to have had these choices to make.
These weren’t all things I had to do; these were things I got to do.
I got to devote time to my passion in the hours before my paid work, creating possibilities for my future.
I got to work a job that provided both pay and benefits, enabling me to take care of my needs, even if it wasn’t my dream career.
I got to stretch my healthy body and create mental stillness.
And I got to live in a comfortable apartment, filled with furniture and clothes I got to buy with the money I got to earn.
And in between all these things I had consented to do were lots of other beautiful little things I got to do.
I got to wake up to sunlight coming through my window. I got to walk by interesting people, trees, and buildings on my way to work. I got to eat delicious food from various restaurants at lunch. And I got to use my hands when typing on my computer—hands I could have been born without or could have lost to some type of injury or tragedy, but hadn’t.
I get to do a lot of things worth appreciating every day. We all do.
We all get to do things that challenge us, fulfill us, excite us, and energize us. We get to live, love, laugh and explore in far too many ways to count.
Since I’ve long been inspired by this idea of focusing on what we get to do, I decided to include this as one of the prompts in my newly released gratitude journal.
I shared this prompt on Facebook this past Sunday to see how other people would respond. Over 1,500 people chimed in, creating a monumental list of blessings, many of which we all share but could easily take for granted.
Since I was inspired and touched by the list, I decided to share a selection of those responses here.
I Appreciate That Every Day I Get To…
Health
1. Shelley White: Breath. I received donor lungs nine years ago after my own lungs failed. I have Cystic Fibrosis. Just being able to wake every day knowing I can spend another day with my family is what makes me grateful to be alive. I appreciate life.
2. Kristi VanTassel McHugh: Wake up. I had open-heart surgery nearly two years ago, to replace a faulty aortic valve and repair an aortic aneurysm. When I was first diagnosed, I was told, “If it’s not fixed soon (the aneurysm) it will burst and you will die.” That was two days before Christmas, and I waited just over six months for my surgery. I am thankful to still be here, every day.
3. GusandMaggie Nosce: Be alive. I was born a congenital heart patient (blue baby) and was advised I would need a heart transplant by the time I was four years old. By the grace of God, I have never needed one, even though the open-heart surgery I received when I was days old is no longer in practice and is no longer advised to perform.
4.Manal Khatib: I appreciate that I can walk after a serious car accident eight months ago. Every day I had to relearn how to walk. This journey has made me appreciate my body and treat it with kindness.
5. Laina Amarantinis: Walk and stand. After three spine surgeries, I am finally able to walk and stand more and more as the healing progresses. I am very thankful.
6. Mary Beth Hudson: Spend time with my family. I beat my battle with cancer; others in my family were not so lucky.
7. Linda Otto: Move my body. I can walk, run, lift, bend, etc., all with ease. This is not possible for many people. It can be taken away in an instant or gradually as we age. Your health, eyesight, hearing are never appreciated enough.
Friends and Family
8. Anna Hunt: Spend time with my daughter. Soon she will be off to college and I won’t have her close. Hearing her laughter, knowing she’s in the next room, fills my heart with warmth. I appreciate that every day I get to see her.
9. Amy Albinger: Be with my family. Be with my parents, my husband, my sister, and my niece. They are the reason I live today. They are my reason to get through each struggle. They are my definition of love.
10. Riddhi Solanki: I appreciate that I get calls from my parents and friends, as my current job isn’t in my hometown. They call me and talk to me so I don’t feel more alone.
