I know there are whole books about how to do it. I’m just doing it my own way, as I have been for a few years. After a sputtering start which may have lasted a whole year, who knows, I’ve lost track of time, I find that each day I’m able to wake with gratitude, and dwell largely in gratitude all day, and climb into bed at night with gratitude for soft cotton sheets and a firm latex mattress, a good dog still living, and a cat curled beside me.

Last night, writing was like pulling teeth. But all I have to offer to the Earth, to the Great Turning, is my soul, and my soul writes and makes pictures. So. I hereby commit to posting each day, until the next winter solstice, at least one thing that I am grateful for. Thanks to Laurel Webb for proving that a daily post is possible!

Today, I am grateful for coffee and toast with honey.

Grateful for the honey, Uley’s Gold, sent from Florida by a dear friend who notes that Tupelo honey is so special because it never crystalizes; also, it tastes exquisite. Grateful for the toast, that I have a pretty copper toaster I’ve had for 16 years, that I have solar-powered electricity to operate it, grateful for the solar electricians of this valley who provided and maintain that; grateful that Ruth gave me sourdough starter five years ago and I’m still baking bread from it, that Modern Appliance in Delta sold me a propane stove to bake the bread in, that Pioneer Propane fills my tank automatically, and that I can afford propane; grateful for the blue and white fish plate inherited from my mother, for the plain white mug I bought on Amazon, that coffeemakers are so easy, that Jay at Rubicon Roastery in Paonia purchases ethical and delicious coffee and ships it to Crawford. And all that doesn’t even count the butter…

This is the beginning of my gratitude today. This is my gratitude practice. Won’t you join me?