By Doreene Clement

grate.ful adj. 1 a : appreciative of benefits received: syn. thankful

4.19.02 Today I am grateful for ___________________ .

As I write the above line, I wonder, "What is my answer?" My first thought is, "I am grateful for today." Then I realize there are so many people, places and things for which I am grateful. Everyday the list grows.

Everyday there are things that happen to us, and for us, that make us grateful. Sometimes, we even find, that after the passage of time, we become grateful. Take time today, tomorrow, and the next day to think about for what or whom you are grateful. Then write it down in your journal. Or maybe send a letter or a card, with dates and experiences to that person.

You can start keeping a journal where you date and write in daily, weekly, or monthly about what you are grateful for, why and the circumstances that created the gratitude. This becomes a story and record of your feelings and warm experiences of what you have given, and also what you have received.

You can also create individual gratitude journals for your spouse, your children, parents, a friend, etc., that you journal in for a period of time. You can write about them sharing what you are grateful for about them. Get a new journal to use for this purpose only. Pick a colored pen or several colors. You can express your feelings with certain colors, green for a growth memory, blue for peaceful times, you decide what each color means and note that in the front of the journal. Date each entry and describe events, memories, or thoughts that you have about that person. Describe what they have given you, what you have observed, what you wish for them. Tell them about how grateful you are for them in your life, and why. This becomes a treasured keepsake and a priceless gift.

Telling someone you are grateful for them in your life, for what they have done, for who they are is a very powerful expression of caring and love. Telling a stranger who has given you something, directions, good service, a smile, that you are grateful for what they have done and given you is another form of connection. Spread the idea of gratitude. You may see something on TV or read about someone. Send them an email or letter of appreciation for who they are, what they stand for, or for what they have done.

Today I am grateful for ___________________ fill-in this blank with what your are grateful for.

As I was thinking about what I am grateful for, I of course thought of my many wonderful, dear friends. So, I decided to email and ask what they were grateful for. I asked them if I could also share their responses with you, and here they are:

"Today I am grateful that I get to spend time with my children."

"Today I am thankful for a generous heart that loves to spill over to others...and is constantly replenished by my beautiful family."

"Today I am Grateful for the joy of friends. Today I am grateful for the light in the eyes of my friends. Today I am grateful for the roses in my garden. I am so very grateful I met you."

"Today I am grateful that I can continually forgive myself. I can forgive myself for judging myself harshly when things don't turn out just the way I was attached to them turning out. I can forgive myself when I am disappointed that I didn't speak up and say exactly how I felt about a situation. I can forgive myself because when I did speak up, it didn't come out of my mouth the way my mind thought it would. All in all, I am very grateful that I am me. I wouldn't want to be anyone else in the whole world....and that's gratitude!"

"Today I am grateful for a wife, 4 children and a daughter-in-law who are all working hard to find out what it is their Savior would have them do in life and then do it."

"Today I am grateful for another experience of realizing that I am, indeed, safe and provided for."

"I am grateful for days, like today, when my gratitude gallops gleefully ahead of me and I have to skip to keep up with it, instead of haul it behind me like a wagon load of manure, hoping it will carry its own weight - by tomorrow."

"I am very grateful for the healing work that I do. I work long, hard hours, but I really enjoy helping people feel better. How many people can say that they love their work or feel that they are doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing?"

"Today, I am grateful for a Loving God who nurtures me. I am grateful for my 89 year old Mother who has cared for me and is still vibrant, helpful, and alive. I am grateful for my Granddaughter Hayley who holds my hand, trusts me, and I know loves me somewhere in her very special heart. I am grateful for good health which sustains me. I am grateful for my friends and acquaintances who care about me and bring so much joy into my life. And, finally, I am grateful for libraries, and the Internet, and transportation which constantly open new vistas in my horizon and let me appreciate this vast world and its infinite knowledge and power available to all those who are curious enough and ambitious enough to embrace them."

"Today I am grateful for gentle friends, and a loving Heavenly Father."

"I am grateful for the Divine Connections in my life - My family and friends. We laugh and cry together. With them I feel I belong and am loved. They are my greatest teachers. We validate each other. When depleted I seek them out. They renew my spirit I am blessed. I am also grateful for the roadblocks and failures in my life. They turned out to be valuable lessons that led me to new opportunities and connections I wouldn't have had otherwise. They presented new Lifepaths."

"Today I am grateful for all the wonderful people in my life who challenge me to think differently."

"The scent of freshly cut grass coming through my open windows."

"Today I am grateful for opening my eyes to see my husband on my side and my pug at my feet. I am grateful to look out my bedroom windows to see another day full of possibility as the sun slowly warms up my sweet backyard alive with quail, doves, hummingbirds, rabbits and all kinds of natures noises. I am grateful to feel my breath as it wanders through my body waking me up. I am grateful that I have one more day to enjoy, and be amazed, and be involved with life. And I am very grateful that I can go through another day full of awe and gratitude."

"Today, I am grateful for my life, health, and for my mother still being alive."

"I'm grateful for the support of many, many wonderful women in the community."

"I am grateful for being able to carry the message that Light and Love is always present and everlasting. I get to do this on a moment to moment daily basis. I am grateful for all the loving people that I am blessed with in my life. I am grateful that the universe provides completely and abundantly. I am grateful to be alive and living full out."

Copyright 2002 Doreene Clement All Rights Reserved

About the Author:

Doreene Clement is the creator of, The 5 Year Journal, a journal where you can journal your life in one book for 5 years. You can sign up for her free journaling newsletter and tour the book at www.the5yearjournal.com or order it HERE.