a Giving Thanks list

Last Thursday was Thanksgiving and as much as I appreciate the traditional overindulgence in foodstuffs, like Christmas, there is more going on than inducing a L-triptophan overdose of napping.

Where I grew up, the big thing was the annual football game between between my high-school, Kirkwood, and our rivals from across town, Webster Groves, (life was a blast the year I transferred into that school just before the game). From what I hear, Kirkwood won this year which was the 100^th Turkey-day game between them. Congrats to the Kirkwood Pioneers.

But as much as football and food are plentiful on this day, what I try to do every year is make a list of things that I have to give thanks for. It's one thing to set aside a day, but I find it helpful to actually list them out and look at them, cherishing each for a moment so as to actually give some thanks.

• My friends -- more like family...
  
  • * -- my best source of reality slaps when I need one in short order. Gifted by the Gods to be able to see though my self-indulgent BS whenever I need it.
    
  • *-- probably the person in Los Angeles that knows me better and longer than anyone else. Why she puts up with me, I don't know but I love her for it.
  • * -- likely my best friend, we fight on occasion and yet we always are there for each other.
• The learned lessons of the previous year
  • "The difference between a rut and a grave is only a matter of depth."
    My great-grandfather told me this when I was a kid, it has taken until lately to realize the truth of it and be willing to climb out of my rut before it falls in and becomes that grave.
  • Follow your heart and the universe will be there for you.
    I have lived this unintentionally on many occasions, but now I live it on a daily basis with intention.
  • I have finally become truly aware of the fact that what I have is of some value to the world and that it is not wrong to want to share it with those who want it. Follow that small voice inside and it will tell me when and with whom.
• My health
  • My Doctor is always freaking out about my cholesterol levels. This year we have finally gotten it under control and all is well. I am not going to have a heart-attack anytime soon, at least not from cholesterol levels...
  • My other condition is absolutely fantastic and seems to be completely under control.
• My new employment arrangements
  • No longer at the limo company
    As much as I liked my job and loved the people I was meeting at the company, I never realized how much of my life was dedicated to the job to the expense of everything else. I think on some levels, I was hiding from both life and what I really wanted to become. I still love the people I worked for and with, but after several years of 3,000 miles per month in LA traffic, enough is enough.
  • Computer services
    While this is not my final goal in the universe, I have spent years learning skills that have a nice value to them and without having to work for someone else or full time, I can make enough money to work on my true goals and desires. What a blessing this has turned out to be.
  • Life Coaching and Spiritual Teaching
    Not only has the last few months allowed me to create the basic site for this, but I have been inspired in so many ways as to how to proceed with it. Things are starting slowly, but in a way that is a good thing since I have the opportunity to plan the directions in which I and it will go.

This list is nowhere near complete, but it is a beginning.

Everyday, be thankful for the gifts and blessings that show up in your life. By acknowledging them, you not only give blessings, but they tend to grow into greater and greater things to be blessed by. This is one simple way in which the Law of Attraction or "the Secret" can be used to improve our lives in directions we want to go in.