I sat down last night to celebrate the eve of my 37th birthday with a list of 37 things for which I’m thankful. However, I immediately realized that you wouldn’t read the entire list. So I’ll share a few highlights and the contexts therein.
You see, the last four years have been quite the ride and I’m thankful for my family, friends, and colleagues who have hung in there when I wasn’t much of a family member, friend, or colleague. I’m thankful for the time spent fishing with my dad. I’m thankful to share the orchestra, art museums, and Maine with my mom. I’m thankful for the cancer hating dynasty that my brother and I have created. I’m thankful for my friends and colleagues whose well-intended correspondence have gone unanswered. I’m thankful for the physicians who continue to look after my well-being and for my mentors who continue to guide me along my journey. I’m thankful for my editors who encourage me to write on topics about which I’m passionate. I’m thankful for my clients who welcome my enthusiasm and expertise to their teams. I’m thankful for my advisor with whom I recently finished my master’s thesis. Finally, I’m thankful for my mobile device that allows my office to be closer to the sea.
I started this gratitude push in January with my friend Kate, inspired by a Facebook post positing that gratitude would improve one’s daily routine. So I started reminding myself about some of things for which I’m grateful. I have a place to live. My family gets along. I’m not broke. Slowly, “first world” problems didn’t seem quite so daunting anymore. It was as if potential stressors rolled off like water from the proverbial back of a duck. It’s made the first four months of 2016 a lot easier, in spite of ongoing challenges. I encourage you to start being grateful for things today. As my mom used to sing to us, “It will help us every day, it will brighten all the way, if we keep on the sunny side of life.” If that’s not your thing, how about a donation to Team I Hate Cancer? We’ll be grateful for your contribution.