Here are some things I’m grateful for:

• yes, first off, my awesome kids, especially as they were good traveling companions over Thanksgiving
• my family whom we visited in Chicago — all 5 of us Coudal kids were together with our families — so many fun memories!
• my blog, my facebook, my instagram, my twitter — and even my foray into pinterest
• my new bathroom lights (this may seem small, but as we live in a rent stabilized apartment, we get very few home improvements. The super was in our apartment when we left for Chicago and when we came back, voila! fixtures were installed!)
• my quirky freelance gigs and steady income
• all of my writing students — even my bratty middle school kids
• my old friends, like from college and high school, who’ve been my friends for DECADES!
• my new friends, like from new work city
• my writing class
• my love of travel
• the NYC theater scene
• my finishing a 5K on turkey day
• my Upper West Side
• the NYC citbike program
• my bike
• my secret garden
• my health — because, it’s true, health is wealth
• my optimism

When I am grateful, something in me opens up and I make room for more acceptance.

Gratitude is a practice.

I am not perfect. At times, I see too quickly what I am missing. Because of Chris’s Parkinson’s Disease, I am, at times, sorry for him, sorry for my kids, sorry for myself. Just sorry. And mad.

I have wished I was married to someone who did not have chronic health problems. But I want to remember to appreciate and celebrate what I have. I have a lot.

Related articles

• Gratitude (angelatomato.wordpress.com)
• The One Thing For Which I am Most Grateful This Thanksgiving (lazymanmanifesto.wordpress.com)
• my friend xavier’s blog http://xaviertrevino.wordpress.com/2013/11/30/the-last-stale-doughnut/