You think that you have it rough, then you look around and see others going through a lot worse than you; you stop for a moment and say to yourself, "I'm grateful ___." How would you finish that sentence?

I’m not homeless.

For my relative physical health.

I’m not schizophrenic.

I’m young.

I have my parents (even though I hate them sometimes).

I have health insurance.

And the list really could go on and on… :D it’s a good thing to think about often.

For me, it’s easy – my health. I have a few family members who suffer from severe chronic pain and I truly don’t know how they get can through the day sometimes.

I’m grateful for:

My faith
The three most incredible boys on the planet – that I happen to have given birth to!
Being in love and being loved
Gimmedat and her family
My health

I’m grateful I’m in a great relationship.

I’m grateful for my education in areas that there is no lack of jobs.
The health of my family and mine, too.
Love and foregiveness.

Strangely enough the “I’m not schizophrenic” one pops up a lot…maybe more often than the others…should I feel badly about that?

My family and being securely employed.

That I have a roof over my head and food to eat and a wonderful husband. And I’ve had Really rough times. That is what it always comes back to. Those same three things. They are so basic but they mean so much to me.

@ptarnbsn I can understand that! I am struggling to find a job right now and keep thinking that I should have chosen a different career path.

I’m grateful for my wonderful girlfriend.

Grateful for the grace of God.

…that I have a job.
...that I have a roof over my head.
...that I have a family who loves and supports me.
...that I found who I believe is my perfect match.

I’m jealous @essieness

@aviona Of what?

… that my parents support me, emotionally and financially, when I need it.

… that I’m able to do what I love.

… that I have been fortunate enough to have the experiences I’ve had.

… that my best friend forgave me, at least enough for now.

… that I don’t have it any worse than I do.

… that I came home when I did Friday morning, and didn’t get beaten to death of the street in front of my building like the guy who was.

I’m grateful for….

- the roof over my head
– the food on my table
– my military career (and job security)
– my family, relatives, and friends
– my steady income
– my good health
– all the benefits I receive from government employment
– my good common sense and upbringing

I’m grateful for outstanding teachers both in school, on the job and by acquaintance and relation that I believed in. It’s due a lot to them I am resilient, tenacious and ever curious about living life, even when it hurts.

I’m grateful for being able to live in the 21st century when visiting a dentist (an not in the 18th century for example).

…that I have a home.

Happiness, Health, Family, Work that I enjoy, Friends

I’m grateful for my husband and sons and for my job.

My loving family
Many close friends
No mortgage
Good health
Financial security
A refrigerator & freezer full of food

for my health, my position in life, my friends and family, but most of all my boyfriend who is incredibly supportive and loving.

my duvet

…that I have the power and wisdom to help those less fortunate than me.

@alossforwords …and your modesty. Don’t forget to be grateful for that.

@essieness Is that your way of confessing your love for me?

@alossforwords And in an interesting turn of events, @alossforwords inadvertently confesses his love for me! I knew it.

I love you all.

@essieness I am intrigued by you. You’re smarter than your average bear but far too humble.

@alossforwords Humble? You ought to live with her!! (essieness, I mean) LOL

@ptarnbsn That’s just wrong.

I am grateful I am still alive. Even more grateful that my daughter is alive.

I am grateful my daughter even exists. And that she survived her operation.

I am grateful I have enough to eat, I can afford everything I need, and I can get a job if I want to.

I am grateful I am healthy enough to do that job, and take care of my kid, and offer her whatever I can for several years to come.

I am grateful my dad is still around, and he is nice to me, and he got a chance to tell me how proud he was of me before he died, and I got to thank him (ok, we did not use any of those words, but we didn’t need to).

I am grateful I have a sister and brother-in-law who have been very supportive during my last problems, and let me stay with them and protect me.

I am grateful I have friends who love me, and I have had the chance to discover who they really were. And also the ones who were fakes.

I am grateful for a lot of things, even for the fact that my internet finally works and I don’t have to steal snail-paced wifi from the neighbours anymore.

@essieness I’m jealous of all of what you’re grateful for, especially believing you’ve found your perfect match.

Oh, there would be many on my list….eg

that i’m not homeless
that i live in relative comfort with some luxuries
that i’m not ill
that i have friends
that i don’t go hungry at all
that i can enjoy hobbies and things and not focus merely on survival alone

things like that.

I couldn’t begin to list everything that I appreciate about my life. In working to overcome my lifelong battle with low self-esteem and depression, I have used gratitude and found it to be one of the best tools ever.

Over time, I have found that I can find a silver-lining or a lesson I needed to learn in nearly everything that I experience. In the past, I would have simply wallowed in a “woe is me” mindset; but now I dig deeper and see that everything truly does happen for a reason.

The origin for my practice of gratitude was working in a Children’s hospital with kids that were truly ill or had developmental disorders, and also with those that were abused and neglected. My son was quite young at the time, and as much as his temperament challenged me, I was glad that he was normal enough to push my buttons.

While I don’t believe in a specific deity, per se, I do find myself often uttering the phrase “there but for the grace of God go I.”

Four months prior to my Mom getting sick (Ovarian Cancer), we had a talk and she told me that she had finally come to terms with the fact that I was gay and that she accepted it and loved me for who I was. Years before that, my Mom wouldn’t even acknowledge the fact that I was gay (denial), she wanted to have nothing to do with my partner, and so, sadly, I stayed away from her and my Dad – didn’t want to upset her (big ol’ Black Sheep, I was). I’m grateful that we were able to make amends and became close again. Six months after this, she past away.