Thankful for Kindness

Wherever I go and whatever I do, I see kindness all around me.

Recently we traveled from New York back home to California. We happened to be flying immediately after a big East Coast storm. Although we were delayed at the airport for about 5 and 1/2 hours, the experience was a good one because of all the kindness I witnessed or experienced throughout the day.

Our journey began with my brother insisting that he drive us to the airport instead of us taking mass transportation (without really knowing how the roads would be). As soon as we arrived at the terminal, a man over heard us talking and directed us, unasked, to where we needed to go. At the gate, I watched as people shared cell phone chargers, gave one another updates on delayed flights and gate changes. Due to the kindness of my fellow travelers, it seemed easy to enjoy the very long day.

I know that it's easy to find rude and aggressive drivers on the roads but I always notice the kindness shown from one driver to another...and the warm hearted appreciation shared.

My daily experiences of kindness have left me with the impression that people truly want to be helpful towards others. Look around, you are bound to see that as well.

Say Yes!

Say Yes to Life!

A few days ago, I found myself slipping into a place of fear and worry. As my mind began to travel this path with unsupported information and assumptions, I decided to block my way with a YES experience. I shifted my focus from the fear of what I did not want in my life to all that I would like to create in life.

I focused my mind on the things I wanted to say YES to. And I declared these affirmative statements one by one.

I say YES to LIFE.
I say YES to LOVE.
I say YES to HEALTH.
I say YES to the new PAINTING SERIES.
I say YES to writing the NEW BOOK.
I say YES to JOYFUL TIMES WITH MY FAMILY.
I say YES to GOOD FRIENDSHIPS.
I say YES to my PAINTINGS HANGING IN THE GALLERY.
I say YES to LIFE!!!
...AND MORE...

By the way, it turned out that those fears and concerns were unrealized. I was able to spend the time on a positive mental exercise, rather than adding to the fear by focusing on negative possibilities.

What do you want to say YES to?

Grateful: A Love Song to the World

I just viewed a beautiful video, Grateful: A Love Song to the World, and loved it! I had to share it with you here.

This short film was created by two musicians, Nimo Patel and Daniel Nahmod. They pulled together people from all over the world to be part of this project and to sing a song of gratitude for the many large and small gifts of life. It's an open-hearted international celebration that we get to share-in as we watch the video.

"Everything is a Gift."

To learn more, visit: http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=4460

10 Gratitude Quotes to Begin the Year

Happy New Year!!

Here are 10 gratitude quotes to help you start the year off with a little inspiration of the grateful kind.

"Gratitude is one of the sweet shortcuts to finding peace of mind and happiness inside. No matter what is going on outside of us, there's always something we could be grateful for." - Barry Neil Kaufman

"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful." - Buddha

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." - Albert Schweitzer

"Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is

the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude."

- Denis Waitley

"When we lose one blessing, another is often, most

unexpectedly, given in its place." - C.S. Lewis

"Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that everything in life has purpose. There are no mistakes, no coincidences, all events are blessings given to us to learn from." - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

“To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude.” - Albert Schweitzer 

"We should certainly count our blessings, but we should

also make our blessings count." - Neil A. Maxwell

"What if you gave someone a gift, and they neglected to thank you for it - would you be likely to give them another? Life is the same way. In order to attract more of the blessings that life has to offer, you must truly appreciate what you already have." 

- Ralph Marston

"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings." 

- Eric Hoffer