I give thanks constantly. All day. Every day. I believe that grounding myself in gratitude within my faith makes me appreciate more the everyday things….the things we take for granted.

We wake up each day. (Gratitude) We can think, see, feel, hear, touch, taste (our coffee!), smell…..(Gratitude). On and on. I think that once we make a conscious effort to realize that every precious moment of life is a miracle, we will be more grateful, and through being more grateful, and extending kindness and love to others, more blessings will come our way. It’s a well that never stops giving, never runs dry.

While in Santa Cruz in the summer, I count the days between the farmer’s markets. The Central Coast of California has such rich volcanic soil that many bountiful crops are harvested and brought by farmers directly to the outdoor markets. I relish these so much for not only the healthy organic fruits and vegetables they provide, but for the colors, smells, textures, – experience of meeting and talking to everyone, learning about them, making new friends.

One such friend is Serene, from whom I’ve been getting a dollar-a-minute massages from the past couple of years. She has such a gentle and beautiful soul, which combined with her talent for finding every single knot and pain I didn’t even know I had, makes her just a fabulous human being.

 

Yesterday while getting my weekly 20 minute massage, which – no pun intended- I “sorely” needed, I was wearing my bluetooth, something I never do, as I certainly want to tune out the world while getting my massage, but which was necessary for an important phone call I was expecting from the USPS as to why I haven’t received my forwarded mail in a months’ time. I took the expected call to find it was a local friend reminding me that “our” birthdays were coming up. (I wish I could forget!) His, in a couple of days, and mine a week from yesterday. I told him I hadn’t forgotten and would call him back, then explaining and apologizing to Serene for taking a call.

At the end of the massage she hugged me (as we always do) and said “The massage today is on me, for your birthday.” I told her no, I couldn’t accept that, but she insisted. It was then that I told her- which I don’t normally point out to people who are on my “list”- that I had been naming her in my prayers the past couple of years for added blessings in her life, which of course is true. She thanked and hugged me again.

Life is a circle. We may lose our “groove” at times in our lives, but the circle will continue. What we give, we always will get back. Perhaps in other or unexpected ways, but always the circle will continue. What we choose to put out to the world is just that: choice.

I choose to start and end my days in “Cafe Gratitude,” – which, by the way, is a real place, a lovely cafe in Santa Cruz, but even when I’m back home in Scottsdale, a place my heart and soul reside in.

Every day.