Inner Dialogue

Today, and every day, I am thankful for:

My children who have helped me learn that the most important things in life have nothing to do with myself;

My parents who somehow, despite the trouble I gave them, instilled a solid sense of purpose and self-confidence in me that has taken me through the roller-coaster experiences of life;

My friends who love me unconditionally, who accept me despite my faults, who comfort me when I am sad, and share my successes joyfully;

Those who have become a part of my family for opening themselves up to new experiences, for making me laugh, and for helping me to think outside the box;

Those who randomly enter my life and sometimes just as randomly leave it, for the lessons I've learned with each one of them and for the perspective I have gained through my association with them;

My students who are testing the boundaries of what is known and comfortable to them, who are willing to learn and try new things, and who inspire me on a daily basis to always do better;

People who in any way make my life a little easier, through thought, or word, or deed, and who put a smile on my face and a smile in my heart;

Curiosity about how things work, why people do what they do, and what goes on in the world;

The beauty of the natural world around me and the sense of peace, wonder and connectedness to the larger universe that I feel when surrounded by the majestic mountains or the infinite ocean;

The blessing of passion, about my family, my friends, my chosen vocation, and life in general, because that passion for living is what carries me through the darkest days and gives me hope that the sun will once again shine;

Those that take life head on and deal with adversity with integrity and grace, who are emotionally honest, true to their word, and are generally optimistic about the world;

My teachers, academic and otherwise, who mentor me, show me, encourage me, and challenge me to keep moving forward;

Lessons learned and life experiences that have helped shape me into the person I am today. No regrets, not any of it, at all, because to have regrets would be to deny who I am, and who I am is someone that I am very comfortable with. I am a work in progress, but after all, life is about the process and not the end result, right?

And the list keeps growing. It's amazing when you focus outward how many wonderful things you can see!