I heard recently about an idea called “1,000 Gifts,” where you keep a sort of journal of all the little things you’re grateful for – the small gifts of life – until you reach a thousand. The idea is to cultivate a spirit of gratitude, of appreciation for the minute-by-minute miracles that happen around us, mostly unobserved.
(Apparently there’s a book. I haven’t read it, and I’m not much for the Christian Inspiration genre anyway, but I like the thought.)
I’m a long way from reaching 1,000 on my own little list. But today is 12/12/12: the last Gregorian trifecta for almost a century (until 1/1/2101). So I thought it was only appropriate to share 12 gifts, things that make me grateful:
1. The joy of writing computer code that does exactly what I want.
2. Small pains, like a pinched nerve or a strained wrist, that remind me I’m alive.
3. The constellations of light on my Christmas tree.
4. Reading a good book in the morning.
5. The soft, satisfying clack that computer keys make as I type.
6. The frigid December air.
7. Breathing.
8. The spiciness of hot chili for dinner.
9. The cold sharpness of Corona Light.
10. Webcomics.
11. The infinite beauty of fractals.
12. My wife, Betsy, who is the most wonderful person in my universe. She’s also the one who reminded me about the unusual date today.
What are you thankful for?
Brian D. Buckley 