World Gratitude

Tomorrow starts something called the World Gratitude Gathering. I'm a profound believe in gratitude. I start and finish each day by giving thanks for my blessings - for my friends, my house, my cats, money to pay my bills (even if I don't actually have it). Those things are always on my list some days I give thanks for beauty, for reiki, for indoor plumbing, for living in a society with an abundance of clean clear water for drinking and bathing, for food to eat, the kindness of friends and strangers. Right now I'm profoundly grateful for the renovations that are being GIVEN to me. (The bathroom is almost done, by the way. Sink is in, paint is on the walls. He has to finish putting the moldings back up and painting them. I have to decide what art (if any) to put on the walls. I think it's going to be beautiful.) But back to gratitude.

Today, I'm especially grateful that the bathroom is almost done, I'm grateful for Margaret who comes via the Office for the Aging and helps me out. We got the kitchen almost packed up for the renovations there. I'm grateful that they will start on the 28th. I was hoping they'd start next week, but in a way I'm glad to have a break from people working here and the anxiety of all that. I'm grateful for my new toilet and shower and the nice sink and the beautiful pale blue walls. I'm grateful for Fred who works so hard and is a very nice young man. I'm grateful that my friend Dan is feeling better and will get out of the hospital tomorrow. I'm grateful for Dennis Puffet and my therapist and... Well, I could go on and on but I'm probably getting kind of boring at this point.

I really liked the 9 Agreements on the World Gratitude site:

As a member of the World Gratitude Gathering, I agree to the following:

1. I agree that a world of Love and Gratitude begins with me. I choose to be a conscious mirror and model of the change I wish to see in the world.
   
   
2. I agree to consciously set an intention for manifesting something miraculous in my life throughout this process.
   
   
3. I agree to tap into Gratitude on a daily basis and as much as possible in every waking moment. I know that the rewards of doing so flow through and extend beyond me, strengthening the collective field of Gratitude from which we may all derive benefit.
   
   
4. I agree to be a consistently uplifting inspiration in all my interactions in World Gratitude. I commit to see and mirror back the greatness of each soul who crosses my path. I choose to discover and nurture the light within so that it may shine forth to others and magnify their life.
   
   
5. I agree to honor each individual's right to choose their own belief system and life path.
   
   
6. I agree to be open to both give and receive within this community. In all my dealings, I seek win-win, mutually edifying interactions and transactions.
   
   
7. I agree to be my word in my exchanges with others. I realize that my personal influence is magnified to the degree I am able to keep my word with myself and others. If something comes up and I decide to change what I had agreed upon, then I agree to make that communication as soon as possible to the affected party.
   
   
8. I agree to love and enjoy my life as much as possible!
   
   
9. And, last but certainly not least, I agree to be Grateful for ME!

So anyway, I'm going to explore this 42-day communal gratitude process. I'm not entirely clear on how it's meant to work, but it sounds interesting enough to try out and I thought I'd share the idea with you. Maybe we can be grateful together. Oh - I forgot to say that I always give thanks for all of you as well....