I don't update my website often. And I don't give thanks nearly as often as I should, either. I hope to rectify these frequency issues with an experiment, "Reasons to be Thankful." (I say "experiment" because if I said "regular blog posts", I might be lying.) Anyway, in one of my previous blog posts ("Top 5 things to do if you've lost your job"), my first recommendation was to give thanks. And though I'm blessed to not have lost my job, I'm planning on following that recommendation as much as possible.

Since high school, I've known that meditation has scientifically proven benefits. I've read various books, such as Jon Kabat-zinn's "Wherever You Go, There You Are" and B. Alan Wallace's "Tibetan Buddhism From the Ground Up: A Practical Approach for Modern Life", which both heavily advocate for meditation, no matter your spiritual affiliation or path in life.

And even though both books were fascinating to me, how many times have I meditated since reading them? Zero, unless trying only a few times for only a few minutes counts. (I even read the former book twice - I shudder to think how many times I could have meditated instead of reading about how to meditate!)

So even though I've yet to meditate, I'm making steps toward relaxing, enjoying life, and appreciating everything. "Reasons to be Thankful" is one of those steps. I don't want it so much to be a diary of things I like, but more of a conversation with other people who are learning to appreciate everything life and the world have to offer. And my first reason to be thankful is an obvious one (especially if you read the title of this post), but one that can't be overlooked: Life.

Life is something we've all been given. If you're reading this, you've been granted the amazing ability to experience sensations, the ability to breathe, the ability to appreciate things. You've been given consciousness, the freedom to love, the freedom to hate, and much more. But how often do you fully embrace everything in your life - the joy, the pain, the suffering, the quiet moments, the chaotic times - everything? No matter who you are or what's happening in your life, there's something to give thanks for and appreciate. And a logical first thing to appreciate is your life.

So here's to life, my first and foremost Reason to be Thankful. Without it, I'd never have the fortune of being able to be thankful for anything else in this incredible universe.

What are you thankful for?

P.S. - I'm thankful for people who read blog posts and comment on them, no matter how short the comment. :)

Songs listened to while writing this post:

John Legend - "P.D.A. (We Just Don't Care)"

Wrex N Effect - "Rump Shaker"

Girl Talk - "Hold Up"

Vampire Weekend - "The Kids Don't Stand A Chance"

Interpol - "Rest My Chemistry (live)"

Smashing Pumpkins - "Zero"

T. Rex - "Free Angel (extended play)"