Things I Am Grateful For

As my time among the unemployed has stretched on, I have found myself lapsing into negative views that I find all too familiar. It may be that I actually find some comfort in them because of their familiarity. After reading a friend's recent blog entry, I realized I needed to spend some time focusing on the more positive things in my life. I decided that I needed to take some time to share some of the things I am grateful for.

When I stop and actively think about it, I realize there are so many things I am blessed with. I have a wonderful wife who loves me in spite of my many foibles and imperfections. I have two amazing kids who never cease to amaze me and who I am so proud of and love so much that I find it difficult to put into words. I can talk to them often, and do. I have parents who are supportive and who often go out of their way to help. We have a place to live and food to eat. I am fortunate to live in a place with an amazing amount of natural beauty, not to mention five national parks. I am minutes away from peaceful hikes in the mountains. I can freely indulge in my passion for photography thanks to my digital camera. My five senses remain remarkably unimpaired and, perhaps most importantly, my sense of wonder remains intact and active as ever. I have a car that works, or at least works well enough. There is so much more, but these are just a few I wanted to share.