100 Reasons to Be Glad*…

Sometimes, life isn’t so great. You get bogged down in the negatives and lose sight of the good stuff – the stuff that makes you smile. And, while I’m not trying to minimize the negatives (and these days, there are more than a few, what with a friend being very sick, political and environmental disasters that are seemingly at every turn, a difficult job market, etc.), perhaps taking some time to focus on the positives will help take you to a better place. That’s why I’ve decided to take up a challenge – one that I will also pass on to you. But more on that later…

Fabulously talented author Isabel Losada (you really must read her books if you haven’t – even my son thinks she’s wonderful 😉 ) wrote a book entitled 100 Reasons to Be Glad, and as she shares her own list, she challenges readers to come up with their own. And because you know I simply can’t resist a challenge – especially one as interesting as this one, let’s see what I can come up with (in no particular order, of course).

My 100 reasons to be glad:

1. My son
2. Who tells me he loves me
3. On a daily basis
4. And shows me with hugs.
5. I am reasonably healthy.
6. My son and husband are healthy.
7. My parents are reasonably healthy.
8. I have amazing people in my life
9. Who, for reasons I can’t always fathom, seem to care about me very deeply.
10. I have a great family – both nuclear and extended.
11. I’ve been married to my husband for almost 17 years – no small feat in today’s world.
12. I live close to the desert
13. Where I can always find inner peace
14. And inspiration.
15. Dark chocolate.
16. I am free to criticize my government.
17. Puppies.
18. I get paid to do what I love (most of the time).
19. I live in a country with lots of sunshine.
20. Writing.
21. Having friends who love words as much as I do.
22. I have people in my life who truly seem to get me (even when we don’t always get along).
23. Latté.
24. I am no longer lactose intolerant.
25. My son has a wonderful sense of humor.
26. I have a shiny red bicycle.
27. Beautiful music.
28. Facebook.
29. Sushi.
30. International sports competitions.
31. The internet enables me to connect with people I might never have “met” otherwise
32. And to easily maintain contact with friends and loved ones who live far away.
33. Penguins.
34. I live in a country that has socialized medicine.
35. I can go for a walk around my neighborhood and town at any time of the day or night.
36. My son is inquisitive and curious.
37. In the US, I can buy clothes in petite sizes.
38. I have food on my plate, clothes on my body and a roof over my head.
39. Coffee.
40. Bill Bryson books.
41. I live in a beautiful country with a vibrant culture.
42. We can afford to take our son to visit family in the US every year.
43. Beautifully written words.
44. I got to grow up in an idyllic small town in Upstate New York – which I didn’t appreciate until I visited as an adult.
45. Fall foliage (which I miss terribly!).
46. Artists who live in my town and open their homes and studios to the public several times a year.
47. I live 15 minutes (by car) from the beach.
48. I got to help my best friend celebrate her birthday last year in Barcelona – with twelve other incredible women.
49. People like my writing.
50. Good people seem to outnumber bad people.
51. My son knows that he is loved and cherished.
52. I have people in my life who make me laugh.
53. There are a lot of people who do what they can to make the world a better place.
54. Random acts of kindness.
55. Pretty flowers.
56. Cappuccino.
57. Electrical appliances that make our lives easier.
58. The generosity of artists who share their work – visual artists, performing artists, musicians, authors, etc.
59. Calves that like to suck on your fingers.
60. Good books.
61. Monty Python.
62. When something (a book, a poem, a painting, a song, etc.) is so beautiful that it moves me to tears.
63. I know how to make snow angels.
64. The existence of bird sanctuaries.
65. Indoor plumbing.
66. Crayons.
67. Finger paint.
68. I know that I have inner strength.
69. Gentle breezes on a hot summer day.
70. I like to write poetry.
71. My son no longer believes that he is an only child, even though he will never have the opportunity to meet his brother.
72. Photographs that never fade.
73. Sweet memories.
74. Going barefoot in summer.
75. Comfortable shoes that also look good.
76. There’s no such thing as too much spaghetti.
77. Macchiato.
78. Kittens that purr when you rub behind their ears.
79. S’mores.
80. Duvets and flannel sheets on cold winter nights.
81. Having a favorite pair of jeans (in my case, my Gap “Long & Lean” style jeans with the flared bottom).
82. Good hair days.
83. There are still people who believe that peace is possible
84. And I am one of them – most of the time.
85. Beauty is all around us – we just forget to look sometimes.
86. My son still likes to hold my hand, and clearly finds comfort in doing so.
87. Taking every opportunity to teach my son from a young age that being different doesn’t equal being bad – no matter what that “difference” might be.
88. Being able to create the conditions I need in order to achieve more balance in my life.
89. Living in a home with so much natural light that I don’t have to turn on the lights at all during daylight hours, unless I enter a room without windows (of which there is only one).
90. Stuffed animals (no, not taxidermy – I meant the ones that more often than not are probably made in China…).
91. Watching couples figure skating competitions.
92. The touch of someone you care about (and who cares about you).
93. Soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies that you can practically bend in half.
94. Dogs that wag their tails and cover you with kisses because they’re so happy to see you – even if you’ve only gone to take the garbage out.
95. Long lunches with good friends.
96. Long phone calls with good friends who live far away.
97. Having first row balcony seats at a Beach Boys concert.
98. Letting my son clobber me with snowballs or drench me in water fights, just because it makes him happy.
99. Being in the desert at night, when the inky black sky is full of stars and symbols of civilization are kept to a minimum.
100. Coffee.

And now, my lovely readers (and yes, you are all lovely – even the cheeky ones), here is my challenge to you. In the comments section for this post, I want you to write your own reasons to be glad. I’m not asking for one hundred, but if I can do that many, surely most of you can share just a few of your own. Go on, then. I’ll wait here…

Oh, and any bloggers reading this are, of course, welcome to take this challenge to their own blogs. Come on, people! Let’s see what you can do!

*The title of this post was taken from the title of Isabel Losada’s book of the same name.

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