“A thankful person is a thankful person under all circumstances.”–Baha’u’llah (1817-1892)
This is the monthly download of my daily gratitude practice–everyday I try to post five things I am grateful for. Gratitude continues to alter my life in so many ways. I don’t expect anyone to read this list, but I hope you discover the power of gratitude.
January 2013
Thank you for bubbles–cheap, but full of joy; the wonderful peace post by Grandmalin; living in a time of peace in America; all the food that was given to us over the holidays; the amazing edit Joanne Wadsworth did on my first chapter.
Thank you for my empathic wife; legos, especially Star Wars legos; Vietnamese hairdressers who know how to cut Asian hair; Anne Hathaway’s performance in Les Miserable; second chances.
Thank you for youtube; Susan Boyle’s first audition that brought tears to my eyes; reality tv that reveals the spirit, talent, and lives of ordinary people; Freshly Pressed to highlight incredible blogs; time every morning to meditate.
Thank you for a full day with the family; my hilarious twitter friends–@1_Earth_United @SofiaSiberia @09Serenity; everyone who preaches peace; not having to share a bathroom with my entire family; Thich Nhat Hahn quotations.
Thank you for an understanding wife; Cheri Roberts showing me the social media ropes; a new year to soar; the time to see my son play basketball and do kung fu; my friends who stand beside me in good and bad.
Thank you for the patience to let life come to me; how my sons crunch chicken cartilage like it was candy; the freedom to pursue my creative pursuits; the change in patriarchy that is occurring around the world; a positive attitude.
Thank you for being able to take a Cultivating Compassion Training Course with my wife; all the wonderful people in the CCT course; my mom getting the boys to sleep by 9 pm tonight; cookies from Hawaiian relatives; a meeting that went unexpectedly well today.
Thank you for both my sons being good eaters; the abundance of food for my hungry sons; my cousin’s empathy and sound advice; Rarasaur’s post Rainbow Luck; how my 2 year old thanks me everyday for something I did for him–“Thank you for picking me up from school, Daddy.”
Thank you for how my older son watches over my younger son, especially concerning his peanut allergy; the man who almost hit us in the Costco parking lot for making me realize I still have anger issues; the film Hugo; the YMCA for providing safe and affordable activities for my kids; the beautiful sunshine we have been enjoying in January.
Thank you for my wife’s patience and support; two great play dates with the same family this weekend; my puffy-eyed son and his puffy-eyed friend who are redefining cute; acai juice; Yoko Ono and the song Imagine.
Thank you for early morning dance sessions with my wife and sons; spreading love through blog awards; disposable diapers; this beautiful condo to keep us warm when it is near freezing outside; hot tea from Teavana.
Thank you for lovingkindness meditation; the peace and quiet at 5 am; Chipotle salad; Grandmalin’s humor; the pause that refreshes.
Thank you for sleeping forehead to forehead all night with my soon-to-be 3 year old son; the beautiful warm weather in January; Norton de-bugging my wife’s computer; the radio; all the friends who will help celebrate my son’s birthday on Sunday.
Thank you for the wonderful birthday party for my 3 year old son; all the family and friends to help us celebrate; my brother for picking up the pizzas at Costco; all the generous gifts Fox received; my wife for being a great hostess.
Thank you for my wife finally having a day off; all my BBFs (Blogging Best Friends); a wonderful weekend full of activities; Martin Luther King’s wisdom and guidance; computer back ups.
Thank you for all the gardeners and street cleaners who keep our neighborhood beautiful; all the janitors who clean our schools and buildings; brillo pads and non-stick pans; garbage disposals; breakfast burritos.
Thank you for peace, harmony, laughter, and love; my 3 year old choosing to do his business on the toilet; m&ms to bribe my 3 year old; all the wonderful opportunities to learn in our area; Stanford University courses.
Thank you for the self-confidence my 5 year old son is developing; self-compassion meditation; my wife’s laughter; blog post that tell me exactly what I need to hear; church.
Thank you for sleeping in the living room with my sons; Gina’s amazing post on peace and gratitude; Maddy’s video in the comments of my latest post; the insightful talk I had with the Reverend today; a weekend full of smiles and laughter.
Thank you for the quality time I got to spend with my wife on her day off; tacos; the new Mac I ordered today; keeping a positive attitude the whole day; the new followers I got from guest blogging at Rarasaur.
Thank you for all the freedoms we enjoy every day; all my friends who have stood by me; the ability to email our doctors about our children; Abraham Lincoln; twitter–I never thought I’d say that.
Thank you for all the Bloggers for Peace who are growing the movement; Maddy for introducing me to the incredible guitar player Kazuhito Yamashita; all the dogs we got to pet this week; the 5 Tibetan Rites; Rumi.
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everyday gurus 
Isn’t it great when you look at life in this way. After reading through all of the things you are thankful for, I felt uplifted, it must be amazing for you. I am compiling a list that I keep in my notebook, to remind myself of how lucky I am to be on this journey, and all of the things that come into my life every day. Thanks Kozo! You are the MAN!! I wish you and yours health, happiness, and safety in the week to come.
Thank you, Jonathan. I am so pleased that there are other MEN who walk this path of peace and gratitude with me. In my real life, so many men look down on the “mysticism” and “non-scientific” practices that I follow. I am grateful for you, Jonathan, for being a buddy on the Path.
Sounds like you have some incredible notebooks waiting to be published. 🙂 {{{Hugs]}} Kozo
I know what you mean. For a long time I never shared any of my thoughts because of what “friends” might think, or more accurately what I thought they might think or say about me. Silly really to not share what you think, or to not search for the truth because of that. I am also grateful for you Kozo. Transformation and awareness is less intimidating, when you know there are others on the path. I am working on a bloggers for peace, piece maybe today, but definitely tomorrow. Thanks for being a great BBF.
Jonathan
I feel uplifted too 🙂 (though I should be sleeping! it’s 3am here)
I love reading your gratitude lists…
Thanks, Annie. Now, get some sleep. Although, you can see on the list that I was really grateful for the peace and quiet at 5 am. I’m sure you experienced that same solitude at 3 am. Sometimes insomnia is such a gift. Love you, Kozo
Nice reminder.
Thanks, Leo. Would love to see your gratitude list after you come back from visiting piglet.
Wow. That is an impressive list – all the little things in life we take for granted turn out to be not such little things after all. Time to start my own list. Hope I have enough paper…. xxoo
Would love to read you list, Grandmalin. Your posts often reveal what you are thankful for, but a full list would be so inspiring. Thanks for reading. {{{Hugs]}} Kozo
Thank you for this post, Kozo, I needed this reminder
We all need to be reminded, Robert. It is funny how quickly we forget about all the blessings that we are gifted. This is why I have a daily practice. I am grateful for long-distance connections like the one we share. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
Your son is absolutely adorable ! His poofy eyes are one to die for, and for someone so young to learn how to say thanks is really such a set back from my modern day cousins. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you, LD. I love his poofy eyes.When one of my friends saw a picture of him, he said, “He looks so…Asian.” At first I was a bit sad, because everyone always complimented my first son on how “cute” he was. But then, I realized that I was happy that my 2 year old looks so “Asian.” I don’t want him to go through the self-hate that I had to deal with growing up Asian American. Really long reply, but I guess I’m grateful to love mine and my son’s Asianness. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
Ah no worries, I struggled with my own “Asian-ness” when I first moved to Canada in grade 4 and everyone around me was either native, canadian or in my particular school philipino, so I spent the longest time wishing I was another nationality. He should definitely be proud of who he is because growing up you also find people who wished to be your exact race. (:
You 2 are awesome BBF’s & heart lifters!
Isn’t it great how one list of gratitude can bring us all together in a {{{Group Hug}}}}. Thank you, 1G4AW, for all the joy you bring.
This is so inspiring, Kozo. We forget to be thankful for so many things that happen every day of our lives. I’m truly thankful today that you posted this and gave me the opportunity and reminder to do the same 😀 Big {{{hugs}}} to you, my friend…
I am always thankful for your comments, Dianne. I am thankful that I have wonderful friends in Australia to visit when I do the first Everyday Gurus blog tour. haha. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
I have been thinking about this since I read it this morning and I love how you compiled a whole month worth of gratitude and thankfulness into this awesome post…What an example kozo Thank you for this 🙂
Thank you so much for reading and thinking about my humble list, Anyes. I’m glad it made you smile. I’m just trying to return the favor of what your blog does for me everyday. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
You are such a friend Kozo, thank you 🙂
I’m thankful for you Kozo! {{{♥}}}
I am thankful for creative and thoughtful BBFs like you, GM. I am, however, jealous of that cool heart-felt hug you created. I have no idea how you did that, but it feels wonderful. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
😀 ohh Kozo I could just {{{HUG}}} you right now. Oh, I just did!
And to make the heart: press alt and 3 simultaneously {{{♥}}}
I love the very specific details of your gratitude list…from your sons crunching chicken cartilage like it was candy to being thankful to a stranger for making you aware of your anger issues! We would all do well to be so aware!! Thank you for sharing this! I had started a five-year diary but abandoned it; this type of entry might inspire me to maintain it…:)
Thanks for reading, Rufina. I love the small details of life that often go by unnoticed. If I think about it, so many things make me smile everyday that I often forget a few minutes after they happened, but things that make me upset stick with me for days/years. Your comment made me smile. Thank you. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
You’re one grateful blogger, my friend! Good for you!
http://knockedoverbyafeather.wordpress.com/2013/02/04/very-inspired/
I love these. 🙂 *hugs* Thank you for sharing your daily gratitudes with us!
Hooray, Rara is BACK. I’ve missed that little green avatar. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
Hello my dear Kozo, you are becoming wiser, gentler, kinder after every post. How exciting to see you transform into the the best version of yourself in front of our very eyes! It takes courage and faith to put yourself “out there” for all to see, and you do it with grace and honor… while helping others along the path, seems like u’r en route to Buddhahood!
I agree with the old adage, “take care and enjoy the little things in life, the big things will take care of itself.” Life is in the details, that’s what makes it special. I especially like, “how my sons crunch chicken cartilage like it was candy.” That made me laugh! Funny how your list of gratitude makes you the richest person I know. Blessings and continued good fortune to you and your family. 😉
Maddy, Thank you for reminding me how “rich” I am. I would add that having you as my BBF has made me even richer. I am so grateful to call you my friend. Life is in the details, and you constantly make every moment that much more special. Thank you so much. {{{Hugs]}} Kozo
haha….man @ Costco who almost hit you. our greatest teachers. 🙂
& i totally agree with Maddy… You are rich beyond measure. ❤
And Thank You, Kozo! For you, your hugs and your work! Thank you also for the incredible positive energy you are bringing to all of us!
Oh i finally published my post for peace today 🙂 Check it out http://sofiasiberia.com/2013/02/06/how-to-improve-your-medical-condition-when-everything-else-doesnt-work/
I linked the banner to your B4Peace page ❤
Reading of your gratitude fills me with gratitudel all I have seems even more, which I never knew was possible. Beautiful post, Kozo!
Karen
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