You ever feel like the universe is trying to send you a message? For the last six months, all I'm hearing is gratitude this, gratitude that. Practicing mindful gratitude is a proven way to be happier and stuff like that. Ted talks, articles in magazines, tons of stuff online. So, I decided to start a gratitude journal. I don't know if I'll share this with anyone, but I figured I might as well put it out there, back into the universe, since that's where the thing that inspired the gratitude came from in the first place.
I have had a habit of writing little 'gratitude letters'. They're goofy, unedited, and often addressed to inanimate objects. Every once in a while I just feel like writing one. I'm sure I got this idea from somewhere, I think some girl online has a blog of little goofy gratitude letters. So, whoever she is, I'm copying her. Thanks for the idea internet person! I'll try to write three a day. I'll probably take a hiatus when I'm traveling around south east asia starting dec 14th, but then I hope to start up again.
Dear guitar playing taxi driver, I had a really horrible morning the other day. I mean bad on so many levels (flooded house, injured dog, my landlady stole my key so I couldn't lock my house, awkward language-less exchanges with my neighbors because I can't speak Chinese...the list goes on) Anyways, I got through all of that and I was in a pretty foul mood when I exited the train station on my way to work. All of the taxis were lined up outside as they always are, and you were sitting there, with your door open, playing the guitar. I don't know what it was about it that made me smile so big- the fact that a taxi driver was trying to improve himself in his waiting time, when most of them just chew betel nutt and scream "Adoga!" or "Hallohallowhowareyou?" when they see me, or just...I don't know. But it made me so happy to see you there strumming. YOU seemed happy. And in that moment my day switched around. I had a great class and came home ready to face the drama. Thank you, guitar playing taxi driver. May you strum your way to happiness. Love, The Grateful Surfer
Dear neighbor's dog, I'm sorry my dog bit you. It looks painful. Thank you for being so sweet and calm when I took you to the vet, and thank you for letting me give you your medicine this morning. I was kind of scared. YOu're not my dog- who's to say you wouldn't bite me as I pried your jaws open, popped a pill inside, held your mouth closed and rubbed your throat till you swallowed. I mean, seriously, you really could have bit me, and I was scared, and you probably sensed that, and that probably made it more likely that you would bite me. But you didn't, and you were patient, even when I messed up the first time and the bitter medicine must have tasted horrible. You're a really sweet dog. I hope we can make your wound all better. Thanks for cooperating even though you don't understand what's going on. Love, The Grateful Surfer
Dear Internet, I love you. I love you with the fury of a thousand dorky internet lovers. Seriously, you make my life amazing every day. Everything I want to know is right there, at my fingertips, any time. Whenever I need advice, or to know I'm not alone, you're there. Boy do I love you. Boy, do I. You're addictive, but you even provide tips and programs to help me with my addiction (I'll thank the 'stayfocused' plugg in another time). Also, you give me things like nanowrimo (which I completed last night, 50,053 words at the stroke of midnight!). I love you. I do. I guess it's only right that I contribute to you somehow- maybe I'll find a way to contribute better in the future. I hope you'll always be free. Love, The Grateful Surfer
Also, I'm going to post a surf photo or video every day. I have thousands of surf photos from my gopro, and no place to put them, because it seems a little silly to keep clogging up people's newsfeeds with them on facebook. So here's a surf shot, from a little while ago because I haven't gone yet today.
