gratitude

I've had a conversation recently with a friend of mine. He said that being grateful changes depressed people to joyful ones. Well, at least he said it worked for him.

I just got done reading a girl's blog. I don't know her, but she commented on here once. Maybe she'll read this. She wrote "26 things I love about my husband." Cause he's turning 26, I guess. Then she got to 26, and realized she couldn't stop there. She wrote 101 more. I guess she couldn't make herself stop at 126 either. And then she said it would keep growing. I read about 60 of them and then thought to myself, "Wow, she is a writer."

But, maybe if I was as happy as she was in her marriage, I would've done the same thing - even being less of a writer. I'll start with 21, since I'm 21 and turning -well, my nephew was born on my half birthday: June 25th - turning 21 and a half and in honor of my newly born nephew. Does he have a middle name yet?

21 (and a half) Things I am thankful for about my life right now.

1) Having a nicely furnished place to live at a really cheap price for the summer.
2) Getting to work in one of the most prestigious hospitals in the world.
3) Having a really great clinical coach who knows a lot and who doesn't hate me when I mess up.
4) Being able to talk to my mom a lot. She makes me feel better.
5) Being able to care tenderly for patients and families of patients who are dying.
6) Knowing what I'm going to wear to work in the morning, slapping it on, and being ready in 25 minutes.
7) Being able to go grocery shopping with my roommate and buy food.
8) Going to church and finding God.
9) Elisabeth Elliot's writings.
10) Friends who think and share their thoughts with me.
11) Heather Burnham, my roommate. I'm not just thankful for buying food with her. I'm thankful for her in general. She knows me pretty well - all of my quirks, and ridiculousness - and she still thinks I'm okay enough to hang out with.
12) Natural peanut butter and milk. and oreos, I guess.
13) This period of my life. It feels new.
14) Emma Katka. and Ruthie Lee. I haven't really talked to them in a long time. I just am thankful for them right now.
15) That the old lady that I meet with back in A-town and miss a lot - Ruth Miller - wrote me a letter.
16) John Steer, that British preacher who has faith and wisdom.
17) The old man that I took care of yesterday who said to me, "I'm so thankful for the way you girls care for me. Thank you so much for being so good to me."
18) Another old man I took care of this weekend who didn't appreciate the cares he was getting at all and got mad when I didn't prepare his bottom teeth just right. He made me appreciate the other guy a lot.
19) My floor at work. I floated yesterday to another floor. It was awful. Things weren't organized or stocked or documented well. Continuity of care was almost impossible with the way that things were set up. My floor rocks!
20) My preceptor who helped me to cope with death.
21) Life. Living and breathing easily and fingers that move and have blood flowing through them. Being able to run and feel the breeze. Reading and learning and being active. I'm thankful that I have life.
uhhh...21.5) Fire o th fou o Ju an th fri th ca t vis m.