The Grateful Post

   I have decided to follow the steps of my dear friend, Amanda (from Let's Take The Metro), and do one post a week focusing on five things that I realize I am grateful for each week (new or old). Hopefully other people will read this and begin to focus on things they are grateful for and not focus so much on what they don't have or what is going wrong.   The first week (or weeks)  I am going to get all of the obvious stuff out of the way.  In these weeks most of the stuff that has to do with my character or things like that.  Once all of the ordinaries are taken care of I will move on to the extra-ordinaries. (Although- I think my character is pretty extraordinary!)

Being Alive - I decided to take care of the cheesy and cliche topic first.  It really isn't cheesy or cliche though. It's actually quite important. If I weren't alive I couldn't be doing this right now and I think you think this is pretty important.  For real though, I'm quite stoked I'm alive.   No matter how bad your day might be remember that there is always tomorrow. Or is there?  With so much crap going on in our lives it's easy to get disgruntled but once you realize how quickly it can be taken away,  you'll change your tune. Just saying.  I found myself right in the middle of a great life and I'm pretty flipping happy I stayed alive long enough to get here.  Word.

My Support System - My family and friends are pretty flipping amazing.  It turns out that moving to another country isn't as easy as it looks and it could be quite scary.  As I have been here for one month and three days.  I have come to see how awesome my support system is and I hope that you can realize how awesome yours is too.  I must say they each contribute to my success in their own way and without each of them my life would be a little less full of sunshine. (How about that for cheesy?)  My family and friends have made this transition quite easy and I am incredibly grateful for that.

Technology - I have been in love with technology forever. I always need the latest and greatest communication devices. There is no better example of why I should love technology than when I am able to feel right at home 3,200(ish) miles away from the familiar roads of Scranton. With Skype I am still to talk to my friends, be hollered at by mi madre and play Batman and Robin with Jacob.  That is something to be thankful for!


My Faith in Humanity  - I am disgustingly optimistic that the world is going to be a better place one day.  Liverpool has only reaffirmed that belief.  I am pretty happy to see that mankind hasn't given up on mankind.  Imagine the disaster that would be!  I know the world and people are perfect but I do think that there are still pretty good people in the world and they have good intentions. This doesn't seem like something to be thankful for but think about someone that you know that has no faith in humanity.  I know a few of those people and it makes me sad to think of the way they see the world. I hope they change their minds soon.

A Sense of Humor - I am so happy that the Universe has given me a sense of humor.  I really do have a way of looking on the bright (or funny side) of things (and sometimes at the most inopportune times).  I really do think that my ability to laugh at the not so small troubles is what prevents all of my hair from turning gray.  I mean my first month in England was not the easiest. I had many hiccups along the way but just laughed them off. Seriously, I was almost stuck in Ireland two weeks ago and laughed at the idea that I was going to be stuck in Dublin. Think about it.  Autumn stuck in Ireland.  That is funny.  Laugh as much as you breathe. If you can't find it in you to laugh at least smile.  You have a beautiful smile.

So that is it for now.  I know utterly obnoxious but at least I am not complaining.  I am already thinking about next week's post (which I think this will be on Thursdays from now on).   Once you start to notice things you are grateful for they kind of just flood you.

And I will close this as Amanda (I know her in real life too) does:
What are you grateful for?