Category Archives: Overcoming Challenges

Lessons in Gratitude Day 1,000–A Thousand Days of Gratitude

Nearly four years ago my life took a bit of a tumble. My “series of unfortunate events” began in September of 2010 with the death of my father and continued through the ending of a seven-year relationship, the loss of … Continue reading

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Lessons in Gratitude Day 997–Counting Down

Five, four, three, two, one…It seems as though I am in countdown mode these days. Counting down the last days of 2014, the last days of this blog (again), the last days of work before the holiday break, the last … Continue reading

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Lessons in Gratitude Day 995–Not This Day

“A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day.” King Aragorn in J.R.R. Tolkein’s Return of the King. I spent the better … Continue reading

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Lessons in Gratitude Day 994–The Accidental Optimist

I’m not sure what happened, but somehow I’ve come to be an optimist. I never would have thought myself so, in fact I used to think of myself as not only pessimistic but cynical–which to me is an even deeper … Continue reading

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Lessons in Gratitude Day 972–What Happens Next

I want to follow up on what I wrote about yesterday, about facing the Balrogs in our lives. After Gandalf plants the staff confronting the Balrog and stating “You shall not pass!”  a piece of the bridge on which the … Continue reading

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Lessons in Gratitude Day 971–Another Battle with the Balrog

It is amazing how often this happens: I write a post about standing strong in the face of one’s fears, about planting one’s staff, taking a stand boldly in the face of opposition, and then kablooey, it blows up in … Continue reading

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Lessons in Gratitude Day 970–Facing the Cannon

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, “I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that … Continue reading

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Lessons in Gratitude Day 964–Peace at the Center

This evening I am almost too tired to write. I knew when I conked out on the nightly news this evening I was in some trouble. And so we shall see how far I get before conking out again. I … Continue reading

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Lessons in Gratitude Day 957–The Gift of Grace

“My soul looks back and wonder how I got over.” I am grateful tonight for the sentiment expressed in that old gospel song–I am grateful for the journey that is my life. Like most lives, like most journeys, it hasn’t … Continue reading

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Lessons in Gratitude Day 945

Another long day at work today–I arrived home a little before 9:00 p.m. I decided to spin the wheel this evening and see what wisdom I can offer from earlier days. It’s interesting sometimes when I draw upon an earlier … Continue reading

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