I have a pretty negative mindset, from the depression and anxiety I've been dealing with since moving back from Japan, and then the horrific outcome of the US Elections earlier this month. I'm filled with fear and anger and don't know what to do to bring myself out of this. I am worried for my future and everyone else's.
But I want to get out of this headspace, so I found something positive to write about. On Facebook someone shared a graphic from Text My Journal called "30 Days of Gratitude." As I am not a daily blogger, I thought I'd knock all 30 out in one go, and really examine my life and all the precious things within it.
⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆♱⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺
What smell are you grateful for?
I love the smell of vanilla -- vanilla perfume spray, vanilla extract, vanilla cake frosting, you name it.
What technology are you grateful for?
This makes me kind of sad because they just shuttered, but Finale. Finale was a music composition software of incredible quality that let you create your own music and record it as audio files. This was how I rewrote my musical Melancholia. Now that Finale is gone, they are strongly recommending Dorico as a replacement, and offered a cheap cross-grade which I took advantage of... you know, just in case I write music again.
What color are you grateful for?
Green. To me, green means life. The grass. The stems and leaves on flowers. The leaves on trees. I love all different colors of green, from dark to light.
Ok. Maybe not fluorescent.
What food are you most grateful for?
I just had this the other day, but Hong Kong Buffet's Chicken with Broccoli. I can't stand broccoli (it makes me gag) so I pick that all off, but the chicken and brown sauce they use is chef's kiss.
What sound are you grateful for today?
The clickety clacking of my typing on my laptop. This means I'm doing some writing for myself for once.
What in nature are you grateful for?
Forests, especially when the trees are very tall. The forests in Japan blew me away and I miss them very much.
What memory are you grateful for?
While I am lucky to have lots of good memories in my life, I would say that my memories of exploring Yakushima might just be my favorite. It was my first solo trip in Japan and I did my first six-hour hike in ages. I felt so healthy and so proud of myself, and the forests of Yakushima are absolutely gorgeous.
What book are you most grateful for?
My own, Son of the Siren. I worked so hard on this book with drafting, cutting, drafting again, hiring beta readers, rewriting based on their feedback, getting beta readers again and rewriting again, entering it in contests and mentorship programs and revising based on their feedback...it was a lot of work trying to get it to where it is today, and the fact that it got published feels like a miracle. I'm so grateful!
What place are you most grateful for?
I guess I have to say Yakushima. That was almost a spiritual experience for me. Otherwise, I'd say home with the comfort of family, my books, and my bed.
What taste are you grateful for today?
Unfortunately, I have started drinking soda again. But I've been working with zero calorie, zero sugar drinks. This morning I had a Cherry Coke Zero and I'm so grateful it almost tastes exactly like the original.
What holiday are you grateful for?
Halloween. I love dressing up, the cooler weather, the pumpkins and cornfields, the scary movie marathons and specials, creepy books, and more!
What texture are you grateful for?
I have a flannel nightgown meant for wearing in fall and winter that feels very warm and very soft. I love it!
What abilities are you grateful for?
I'm grateful I can play musical instruments and write music. I love music (a lot of instrumental, classical, and soundtracks) and I feel so lucky that it's been such a part of my life.
What sight are you grateful for today?
I like birds, and the crows here in our neighborhood are really big. One landed on the trash bag in our yard and stated pecking at it, and gave up when there wasn't food in it. It was sort of hypnotic to watch.
What season are you grateful for?
Autumn everywhere but Spring in Japan.
What about your body are you grateful for?
My hands. I can write, I can play music, I can wear jewelry, I can sew, I can create.
What knowledge are you grateful for?
If we're talking about knowledge for knowledge's sake, I'm really happy and grateful with the Medieval and Renaissance literature courses I took with David Summers at Capital University.
What piece of art are you grateful for?
La Belle Dame sans Merci by Sir Frank Dicksee. This one.
What touch are you grateful for today?
I haven't had it yet today, but I always get hugs from Mom whenever I ask for them and they always feel really good. Before the day is over I'll probably snag one.
Who in your life are you grateful for?
My Mom, my brother and sister, my friends and extended family...
What song are you most grateful for?
I really love the Main Theme from The Duchess. Composed by Rachel Portman, it's a beautiful composition. This video plays the end credits which features the theme.
What story are you grateful for?
I love the story in Dororo.
What tradition are you grateful for?
I don't always feel up for it, depending on how low my mood gets during the winter, but I love the tradition of putting up a Christmas tree. I love it so much I made sure to do it when I lived in Japan, too.
What challenge are you grateful for?
I appreciate the challenge of moving to Japan while only knowing "hello" and "thank you" in Japanese when I first got there. The language barrier taught me a lot about alternate ways of communication and the kindness of strangers. And while I am nowhere near fluent, I did learn an impressive amount of vocabulary and can make myself mostly understood, even if my grammar still sucks.
What moment this week are you most grateful for?
Monday was Veteran's Day. While I am grateful for all of our soldiers, past and present, I was really appreciative to have the day from classes off.
What form of expression are you most grateful for?
Dance, specifically ballet. Its artistry (and difficulty!) is unparalleled, but a lot of it is storytelling through dance, and there are a lot of facial expressions and gestures used to convey emotion and story beyond just dancing. I was a ballet dancer for seven years (even made it to pointe!) and wish I never stopped.
What small thing that you use daily are you grateful for?
Food.
What small thing that happened today are you grateful for?
I'm so glad to be typing on the blog again. I enjoy blogging but with teaching, I sort of get lost and lose my way with writing for myself. So, today is a nice day because I'm pumping this out.
What friend/family member are you grateful for today?
My mom and my sister both listened to me complain. Thank you!
What talent or skill do you have that you are grateful for?
I am so grateful that I'm a writer. The older I am, the harder it gets, and a lot of times I look back on the past and wonder how I got here. Dreams are coming true, and I'm so thankful.
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