I got two parking tickets today. That about sums up my day. Sometimes, no matter how optimistic I struggle to remain, I can’t help but feel like “What’s it all for!!!” But instead of telling sad, sad stories, I am going to make a list of the things I am grateful for—things I take for granted, big and small, necessary and superfluous—to see if it makes a difference (supposedly it does when you’re feeling sorry for yourself):

A roof over my head. Running water. Food. The health and safety of those I love. Electricity. My health. Air. Seasons. Birds. Live classical music under the stars. Legs. Toes. Trees. Gorgeous sunsets. Castle Hill. The ocean. Gentle breezes. Water. Trail mix. The internet. Music. Live rock and roll in a dive bar. A family. Toilets. Refrigerators. Lobsters. Cousins. White wine. A working vehicle. Doctors. Friends. Good friends. Kind words. Mentors. Constructive criticism. Nurturers. Gentle urging. Homemade soup. Big cities. Mountains. Healers. Time. Apples (the fruit and the brand). Live Jazz in a downtown hotel. The five senses. South Park. Cameras. The other senses I cannot perceive. Breath. Heart beats. Road trips. The kindness of strangers. Eye contact.

I feel better already and I barely just started. To anyone reading this. Thank you. Genuinely. You keep me going when I feel like, “Why bother?” Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.