#365Gratitude Day 322: No Pressure

Yesterday morning it was crazy cold out.  When I got in the car to go to work it was dark, my breath was steaming and...

My tire pressure light was on. 

I figured that it was just because of the temperature differential. So I got on my way to work. 

Thankfully, I take a commuter train to work.  At the end of the day, when I got back in the car it was still on.

I'm fortunate in that I have a local mechanic with great hours and really good service.

Turned out I was low in all four tires.  They filled me up and sent me on my way, no charge.

I'm grateful that didn't turn out worse. 

#365Gratitude Day 321: A Series of Friends

So tonight was the last installment of the Big Little Podcast Summer Reading Series.

Of course, summer's long behind us.  During the reading series, I've been reading from both Auntie Eva's Boarder and my new book, Concerning Littleton.  I started doing it as a way to tide the listeners over during the podcast's summer hiatus, and to promote the new book.

It's been a great success.  Books have sold, but more importantly, I've made some wonderful friends.

It tends to go the same way each week.  I read for about 90 minutes, then a crew of friends joins me on Skype, and we goof on the stream for another 90 or so.  It's tiring, but so fun.

I'm so grateful for the support these wonderful people have given me.

During tonight's last chat, one of the series regulars, Padan Wolf said something that struck me SO FUNNY about people getting into ranty tears on fetlife, "A Caps Lock key isn't cruise control for being cool."

How great is that, right?

#365Gratitude Day 320: Different Shaped Nozzles

Often my gratitude is about abstract philosophical things. But sometimes, it's not. 

Yesterday we stopped on our way home from Virginia Beach to gas up the car. 

I reached for the green nozzle and tried to put it in the gas tank. It wouldn't fit. After monkeying with it for a bit I realized it was for the diesel fuel. 

I switched to the right one and it fit just fine. Whew! That was almost a terrible mistake! I'm grateful for the thoughtful folks whose engineering and design prevented me from royally screwing up my car.  

#365Gratitude Day 319: My love affair with water

Ever since I was a child, I've had a thing for water.  I love the ocean, love to be in water, love to swim.  I'm a scuba diver, and have a deep abiding love for marine life, especially sharks.

About a decade ago I became a Taoist, and realized that my connection with water was also a spiritual one.  

Alan Watts has said that we are a function of the whole universe in much the same way as any one wave is a function of the whole ocean. 

The Tao te Ching has much to say on this too.   

8 

The supreme good is like water,  

which nourishes all things without trying to.

It is content with the low places that people disdain. 

Thus it is like the Tao. 

In dwelling, live close to the ground. 

In thinking, keep to the simple. 

In conflict, be fair and generous. 

In governing, don't try to control. 

In work, do what you enjoy. 

In family life, be completely present. 

When you are content to be simply yourself

and don't compare or compete,  

everybody will respect you. 

I feel all these lessons so deeply.  Water is yielding, yet at the same time, the most powerful thing on the planet.  It carves valleys, grants life, changes the shape of things.  

I am grateful for water's example, guidance, and gifts to me, each moment of each day. 

#365Gratitude Day 318: Being a grownup

Yesterday as I was on my way to work, I was busy.  What was I doing?

- Paying my utility bills, and my wife's car tax (It's a Virginia thing) 

- Booking a trip to NYC to take my wife to see The Lion King on Broadway for our wedding anniversary

- Paying a credit card bill

- Updating my to-do list

- Doing some research for a book I'm writing

- Investigating a rather kick-ass present for my friend Shokolada for his birthday.   (In a related note, he runs pretty much the very-best-site-on-the-internet for messy dessert play.  For serious, check it out.)

As I got off the train, after having done all that, I was feeling quite chuffed about getting everything done, but then it also struck me that I'm both very responsible, and that it feels really damn good.  

I pay my bills on time, most of the time.  I regularly save money into a savings account.  I have reasonable savings, and can often plan for and deal with sudden emergencies.  Generally, when life's little slot machine comes up with lemons, I'm able to deal with the unsavory jackpot without too much consternation. 

I once heard someone say that being a grownup means making your bed, even though no one can see you do it, and not needing a pat on the back for it.  Sure, that's true.  But, you know what, there's a missing piece to that saying.  It feels great to have responsibility and to tend to it handily.  I'm grateful that every day I'm alive, I'm a little bit better about doing the thing that is being a grownup.