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Inventory Time! The cup is full!
Sure, the Vermont weather leaves something (a lot?) to be desired as the year turns. Sure the world is saddled with a vast array of apparently intractable problems. But here I am, still standing.
It's always time for "the first time." Hence an exercise I undertook on New Year's Eve. Just came to me out of the blue as I sat before a raging fire. I had no idea how to do "it." No guide. Nothing.
Went to my nearby home office. Grabbed an empty notebook. (Far too many of those around.)
And I started scribbling a list of all the things I had to be thankful for on 12.31.2005. Included were, of course, the obvious, like the gift of 95+ years of love my Mom gave me. But I also tipped my hat to the thousands of scientists who had worked ... for me! ... on the discovery of the drug that manages my hypertension. The flowers that bloomed in VT last May. The incredibly hard work that the authors of the books I read in 2005 put in for the sole purpose of making my day. Airline mechanics, pensions severed, who were still determined to make my 200+ flights in 2005 safe.
And on.
And on.
The real point is that the "exercise," in only the first 10 minutes, resulted in 14 pages of dense, scribbled entries.
There is no "religious message" here, no "meta-point." The simple point is that shit does indeed happen, and will happen again. Yet so many, many, many wonderful-wondrous-amazing things around us are invisible but worthy of down-on-one's-knees thanks.
Whew!
Wow!
(Try it.) (Works better than Valium or Jim Beam, I'd aver.)
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Comments
It's amazing and comforting that, even with all of our individual and collective struggles, there is an abundance of people, things, ideas (and even challenges) to be thankful for. I do a similar exercise every end of year and it always gives me a sense of hope and peace. Wishing you (and all those who contribute to this wonderful online community) many more blessings in this new year!
Posted by Elizabeth Stoner at January 5, 2006 4:18 PM
Taking stock of things to be thankful for always clears out the mental cobwebs and shakes off my "Black Dog" days of mental affliction. Amazing how it also, instantaneously, makes me a better dad, husband, son, worker, etc, etc...
Posted by Drew at January 5, 2006 4:44 PM
Tom,
High 30’s, low 40’s here in Vermont for the next 10 days! What’s not to like except for maybe all that road salt?
I too list “my blessings†at year’s end, but it’s so much harder to do if a loss or tragedy is suffered. It takes a solid year, or more, to think of anything being “full.â€
My recurring end-of-year theme this year was “time flies by too quickly†(thus count those blessings).
Many thanks for the “Goal Free Living†link. I doubt JPM would have shelled out $25K for that work. I also doubt many of your Type “A†readers (make a list every morning and check it off) grasp it. Glad you do - can’t wait for the full read.
Posted by carbonboy at January 5, 2006 10:44 PM
Tom
Your reflection on the past year also made me stop and look at my inventory. The vacation that almost didn't happen to San Francisco and Yosemite but once it did was amazing for the whole family. The quite walks along a stream in Lenox, that was sometimes quite and sometimes raging but alway there for moral support. The layover in Louisville KY, where I had time to make a trip to the Jim Beam distillery, walk up to one of the ageing barns, stop and smell the earth, oak, barley and bourbon. And finally the spontaneous bits of time when I can bring up your Web site and kick the imaginiation into high gear.
Posted by Dave at January 6, 2006 8:09 AM
Tom,
Very impressive post. I always say this..."You only live once but if you live right, ONCE IS ENOUGH!" It’s always better to count one's blessings than misery. I love this quote by Sir Winston Churchill – “We make a LIVING by what we get, we make a LIFE by what we giveâ€. You have shared so much of your knowledge & experience with us and it has been a fascinating experience to be associated with you virtually. Thanx & wishing you & your family a gr8 year ahead!
Posted by K.Sriram at January 6, 2006 11:07 PM