How Are You?

Today is Saturday, October the fourth, in the Autumn of the year of our Lord two thousand and eight. It is the afternoon of another day complete with made-to-order weather, radiant flowers, and trees that from drought and change of season are making themselves available to any eye that would take pause and notice. Today presents itself to me as another opportunity to contemplate the things that are part of the thing that reminds me to appreciate all the good that exists in my life.

Isn't it a good day to examine our state of well being as well?

How are you? How are you doing when it comes to the things that come to you? Are you bringing them to you? Is that good or not so good? How are you? Are you happy? Do you appreciate life as it presents itself right now?

I sometimes fail to take the time to say outwardly how thankful I am for specific things, so I will list a few of the more general in hopes the reader may relate in some way. I hope to cause a thought of appreciation in you which will translate into a beautiful experience for you. I will also leave you with a link to a post that I feel says a lot that I could try to articulate in my way, only to end up referring you there anyway :) It is an honor to introduce you to TimeThief. She is a very intelligent writer, and an inspiration to me as one who offers a constructive eye towards making my writing better. Helping others is cool.

So, I am very appreciative today, and before I offer a short list of my points of appreciation, I'd like to make obvious the fact that I have not used the word "grateful" or the term "gratitude." For me there is a difference that in terms of how it is applicable to my post is worth clearing up. Gratitude is what happens after I have either survived some event perhaps, or after receiving a gift from someone. Gratitude happens after.

Appreciation, on the other hand, occurs because I choose it.

I am appreciative of things that have made me a better person and these include: My wife, my son, my parents, all my relatives and in laws. I immediately think of all my close friends and how much closer we are getting because we really like each other. These are the best of days because of the ones so dear who have made the choice to always make time to be in the others' company whenever the busy calendar allows.

How are you? How are you doing in terms of your family and/or your good friends? If you don't have any friends, contact me. If you are like most, you have some really good friends, and I'd like to challenge you to go an extra step in showing appreciation for them as soon as the opportunity comes up. This can be done in a variety of ways, and you don't need me to tell you how to do something nice for your friend. I only know how good it feels. I know it equally well because of how often my friends go out of their way to show me appreciation as well as acceptance. That's good stuff.

Peace between family and friends, love for both, and thoughts of creative ways to show them. -- jb