When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love.”~Marcus Aurelius
To start this month’s post on gratitude, I want to thank everyone who clicks on this blog. Your presence, your comments, your {{{hugs}}}, and your support give me hope everyday that we can and will make a difference. I feel so blessed that I have found a community devoted towards peace, love, understanding, and compassion. Thank you for everything you do.
This is my monthly post of things I am grateful for. Feel free to post what you are grateful for in the comments. The more gratitude we give, the more love and peace we will experience.
April 2013
Thank you for the moist tropical smell of my son’s breath that reminds me of Hawaii; how my 3 year old likes to undress in public for no reason; the couple’s business meeting I had with my wife; picnics at the library; my wife realizing that she is vitamin D deficient.
Thank you for Earth Day; vibrational integrity; positive feedback; old friends who become new friends; the humbleness to listen to others.
this black and white bracelet is a compassion reminder. You flip the bracelet from black to white every day after you do something compassionate.
Thank you for new post ideas; my son’s patient kindergarten teacher; my son asking if we can invite God to his birthday party; bunk beds; my “compassion it” bracelet.
Thank you for daily check-ins with my wife; after school playtime with my sons; the Ziggy Marley song we sing in church; rising consciousness in the world; the higher vibrations shared with my blogging friends.
Thank you for how my son uses Wow as a complete sentence; playing in dirt; youth sports; volunteer coaches; corn dogs.
Thank you for how my youngest son says, “I can’t smell” when he has a stuffy nose; Amazon Prime; the ability to change lives, especially my own; catching myself judging others; flying kites.
Thank you for my post about “giving up trying to go viral” going kinda viral; realizing that presence is the most important thing I can give to my wife and children; fruit gummies; phone calls from my working wife; Alison reminding me why we blog–to spread love.
Thank you for alone time with my wife; left-overs and microwave oven; learning how to clean my cache; Sofia Siberia back in the blogosphere; playing soccer with my son and his friends.
Thank you for field trips for my sons; 3 am blogging; car naps; how my sons greet each other–Hello, Fox. Hey, Jett; all the love being shared on Everyday Gurus.
Thank you for Fridays; my new productivity planner; my realization that there are unlimited pieces of the pie of life; my son’s little crushes; riding bikes to school with my sons.
Thank you for my dysfunctional, but accepting extended family; new career opportunities; insights into emotional detachment due to Patriarchy; cousins for my sons to play with; all the work my parents did to give me the opportunities I have.
Thank you for morning meditation with my son sleeping in my lap; learning to give at church; new opportunities to learn new skills; an undying optimism; the realization that God don’t make junk: humans make junk with their judgments.
“Daddy, what do tigers eat?”
“Other animals.”
“No, they eat cheetos!”
Thank you for my 3 year old telling me that tigers eat Cheetos; losing my temper to remind me to practice peace at all times; my son’s art class and his love of creativity; my creative enthusiasm; my focus on creating a new me every moment of every day.
Thank you for my older son’s Kung Fu skill; 30 minute hugging sessions after my 3 year old’s naps; visits from my creative muse; the way Life challenged me to change and grow; business meetings with my wife.
Thank you for prophesies that are coming true; how both my sons are sleeping together right now; the heart-felt email from Anyes; perfectly timed posting on acceptance by Karen and Zen Doe; reading in the park.
Thank you for happiness with my sons; my return to video production; my past mistakes for motivating me to be a better person; the love I share with my wife on a daily basis; In and Out Burger.
Thank you for the day I got to spend with my wife; finding my niche; picnics at the library; learning to lose without bitterness; fresh strawberries from the Farmer’s Market.
Thank you for my 3 year old son’s curiosity: “Daddy, how do astronauts go poo-poo?”; bulldog puppies; water guns and water balloons on a hot day; sleeping through the night; Gene Wilder’s Willie Wonka.
Thank you for my wife feeling better after taking vitamin D; strider bikes; long walks in our neighborhood; a call from my dear friend, Nancy; my cousin’s critical thinking.
sleeping with my son
Related articles
- Everyday Thanksgiving – March 2013 (everydaygurus.com)
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everyday gurus 
Wow, that’s an awesome thanksgiving list! I hope those business meetings with your wife were productive! {{{big hug}}}
Thanks, Julianne. Yes, business meetings with my wife are very productive. They are not for business, but for planning our relationship and family events. {{{hugs]}} Kozo
I always smile the whole way through your lists – Thank YOU for that. 😉 & That adorable picture of you & your beautiful son. (That is so cute how he holds onto your ear.)
It is one of the biggest joys of my life, DDiW, how my son holds my ears when he sleeps. I can’t think of a better place to be than forehead to forehead with him. Keep smiling. {{{hugs]}} Kozo
*hugs*
Excellent list! Jonathan Hilton got me going on a thankfulness journal, but it’s nowhere as good as yours. Just in case: astronauts have to use suction toiletry because poo and pee float. I read a couple of articles that another blogger forwarded to me if you need.
Haha, George. I told my son something similar. I’m not sure why he was curious. I think because he is toilet training and he must have seen how hard it is to get in and out of a space suit. No need to send the articles unless they have pictures. haha. {{{hugs]}} Kozo
Hugs back 🙂
No pictures, fortunately! Not sure if I could ever be up for seeing floating poop 😉
I’m grateful that Niko is back 🙂
I did not even know she was back. I’m stoked to go check out her blog today Thanks for the heads up. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
I love your sons’ questions and thoughts! They’re little geniuses! 🙂 I always enjoy collaborative gratitude posts. They’re so uplifting! 🙂
My sons are my Light, Rara. I’m so glad you enjoy these posts. Hope it makes your day “sparkle.” {{{Hugs}}} kozo
Everyday Thanksgiving is simply a joy to read. Thank you for sharing your monthly lists with us, and inspiring me to create my own!
Yay, Rufina. I hope you post your list so we all can enjoy it. {{{hugs]}} Kozo
You had me in tears after reading your son wanted God to be invited to his B-day, Beautiful…as is you and your family.
Yeah, 1G4AW, I am amazed at some of the spiritual questions my son asks me. Just the other day, he said, God is a spirit, so he can be everywhere. 🙂 {{{hugs]}} kozo
Thank you for you! What a wonderful pot full of gratitude warming my heart this is.
(((((((BIG hugs))))))) to you Kozo
Alison
xoxox
Love the way you comment sounds like Yoda, Alison. You guys really encourage me to continue this practice. Thank you for the hugs. {{{hugs]}} Kozo
‘Wow as a complete sentence’, thank you for all this gratitude!
Haha, tiramit, you should see my son say it in slow motion. WWWWOOOWW–all rounded lips and open mouth. 😮
{{{hugs]}} Kozo
Wonderful, I can just see it! Thank you.
I’m so thankful
for you
~
I felt the joy
of your life
while reading this post
Thanks, Geo Sans. We are all blessed if we can see straight. {{{hugs]}} Kozo
Every single month I read your list I am wanting to create my own and be able to look back with astonishment and see how truly blessed I am. so this month I am starting it for good hoping to be posting it at the end of May…You are such an inspiration to a lot of us on so many levels Kozo. Your children are amazing and it is so good that you write every months their view of the world…I know you will enjoy the snippets of their minds even more in a few years…Hugs to you and to all your beautiful family. Enjoy each other 🙂
Thanks, Anyes. Yay, I can’t wait to read your May list. I keep thinking about the pictures of your son playing soccer and think about my son when he gets older, but then I remind myself to stay in the now and watch his games, even if it looks like a mosh pit. {{{hugs}}} Kozo
Enjoy those games Kozo…they are really fun and won’t last long 😉
Gratitude for everything in our lives is the key……to get out of the duality “trap”, we need to love it ALL! Loving what we like and hating what we don’t like keeps us mired and stuck in the egoic trance……….
“Love all/Serve all” is one of my mantras, David. Yes, judgment keeps us mired in ego, or as you articulately put it “the egoic trance.” Thank you for your wisdom and comment. {{{hugs}}} Kozo
Thank you for this post!
Thank you, Leo, for reading and commenting. {{{hugs}}} Kozo
That sleeping picture is just too darn cute.
One of the biggest joys of my life, Goldfish. I feel so blessed to be in the presence of this Lil’ Buddha. {{{hugs]}} Kozo
I always read your posts with a smile on my face, Kozo and this one is no different – what lovely things to be thankful for 😀 I laughed when I read “Daddy, how do astronauts go poo-poo?” LOL – what a sweetheart {{{hugs}}}
Thanks, Dianne. I laugh all the time when my son asks me these funny questions right before we go to sleep at night. {{{hugs]}} Kozo
What a great thank you list, and there is alwyas more to be thankful for. Thank you for posting this as it reminds us to be grateful for everything inlife. Marcus Aurelius’s quote is one of my favourites! Thank you Kozo
Yes, Ute, there is always more to be grateful for. I love that Marcus Aurelius focused on being grateful for the privilege to love. {{{hugs}}} Kozo
Wow! Such joy between father and son! In & out burger’s for real? I thought it was just a line in Big Lebowski, lol. Yay Sofia’s back!! {{{Hugs all around}}} ♥
It’s settled, Maddy. When you come to Cali, we are going to in and Out Burger. Yay, group hugs with two of my favorite bloggers. {{{hugs}}} Kozo
Awwwsome pic of you and your son, Kozo! ♥ So cuddly 🙂
I love your posts about giving grattitudes Especially!
Just the other day at our healers’ gathering we were talking about creating the attitude of the unconditional joy of life, and were listing the things we are thankful for.
And i told people i even feel thankful (really thankful) when i drink a cup of tea with a piece of bread in the morning; when i open my eyes and can see the light – it means i made it to the new day; when i call my family living across the ocean and can hear their voices; thankful that i can move my arms and legs…
Many people when hear it get silent and look shocked at the realization of how much we really should be thankful for and how divine the life is when you don’t overlook or take the simplest most usual things for granted ♥
We also had a motivational workshop, where they showed a video of a guy, having no legs or arms from birth. He is a life and motivational coach, and even though he has no limbs, he does many fun activities – surfing, composing music, giving classes, speaches, inspiring thousands of people…
When he speaks to the crowds, everyone cries. And not because the guy calls for pity… in fact, he is a blast of joy… But because looking at a happy active guy with no legs or arms, people shockingly realize what an abyss of options and power they have in their own fully-functional lives!
And that in fact they really have nothing to complain about.
When we feel truly thankful for the smallest simplest things in life, this life turns into the box of miracles! ♥
Gratitude makes us realize that “there are thousands of miracles to behold.” Or as you put it, my friend, life turns into a box of miracles. I have seen that video. I love the shot of him playing soccer. I also love when the students come up to him and hug him at the end. Yes, we are all blessed. I am so blessed to have like-minded friends across the globe that I can communicate with at will. Think about that. Think about how we found each other and how we are able to share stories and love. I am in awe of how much beauty is around me. Thank you, Sofia, for being part of my {{{group hug}}}}. Love, Kozo
♥♥♥
Maddy and Kozo + everyone reading {{{Hugs All Around}}} !♥
Kudos for the Marcus Aurelius quote 🙂 Great post Kozo, so much to be grateful for. Hmm, as for me I’d say I’m grateful for my supportive friends and family offline and on. The feedback about Gyaros has been so great for pushing me to write more and always improve.
Thanks for blogging and keeping peace and compassion in our consciousness, here’s to a very grateful May 🙂
And yeah, how do astronauts poop? 😉
Hugs buddy!
Rohan.
Haha, Rohan. Yes, I am also grateful for supportive friends and family regardless of how we communicate. I think astronauts hold their poop until the get back to Houston. “Houston, we have a problem.”
I’m loving Gyaros, but have been behind with work lately, so I haven’t been able to continue reading. I will definitely put up a review on Amazon when I finish.
{{{Hugs}}} Kozo
A great list Kozo there are so many things to feel grateful for when we really think about it as you have. I love the pic of you and your son sleeping priceless.
Thanks, Athena. I love that photo as well. When I meditate on a compassionate being, I think of this pose. I feel so loved and complete when I sleep with my son and he holds my ears. {{{Hugs}}} Kozo
as always, you know these gratitude moments of yours are…inspirational, beautiful, awesome and very, very heart warming. l☼sunLOVE+HUGS to y♥u!!
It gives me one more thing to be grateful of that I can bring beauty and inspiration to others, especially my BBFs. {{{hugs}}} to you, sunshine.
♥
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