NOTE: Rest In Peace, beloved friend Art Shirk, 1/10/16. From the Boston Globe obituary: “In lieu of flowers, Art wants each person to do something you have been afraid of, without worrying about success or failure.” Art – may your life, lived so fully with love and great gifts and grace, continue to be a source of inspiration to many. You will always be an inspiration to us. The Gratefulness Team.

Thank you Nancy for your wishes and for knowing what truly matters; the inside stuff. And no matter the condition of the outside, what a gift that we get to have a vehicle through which to be alive, experience life, and share love!

Thank you, bringer of many miracles, Pear. Blessed by you always…Kristi

Elizabeth – Happy 90th birthday and bless you for your Big Ageless Spirit! You are one of Br David’s peers – and he is another example of someone who keeps his childlike wonder and playfulness close, to great results. You are an inspiration!

Big, grateful thanks to you Sheila and keep being an inspiration! Taking nothing for granted surely does make for a miraculous life. XO

THANK YOU Rhonda! You are a great inspiration, and a grateful living practitioner for sure. Many blessings on your robust and generative life, and thank you for sharing your story with us!

Beautiful awareness, and a beautiful way to share it with others! Thank you Cintia. How blessed your students are. If only our educational system focused on teaching this kind of gratitude…We are glad that YOU do!

Thank you GT. Caregiving is indeed a perfect example of something that we can see as a privilege if we frame it as such, and not simply an obligation. And you are right that it is one of the most sacred of opportunities, often not offered recognition or due value in our society. Thank you so much for sharing this example with us.

Thank you for sharing this Sheila, and for staying with the learning. This “Obligation” practice is meant to be a heart-opening re-frame. We are glad it was meaningful to you, and hope that many others will also find it to be so…

Please do let us know if you come to this area to see the collection. Some of our Network for Grateful Living staff are nearby and would be so happy to meet you at the Archives and take you on a tour!

Thanks for your comment KC – I am thrilled that you found value in my elucidation of gratefulness and you are so right that we need to be patient and kind with ourselves to change the course of our lives, All well wishes on your journey and many thanks for traveling with us!

Dear Ose – how lovely to hear your thoughts, and thank you for sharing them! I love that you can see this training as a way to help “serve the whole” for indeed, we are more available to love when we are headed in a direction that sees the good and can respond to the opportunities that present themselves to us. This is something very hard to do when we are on that negative train…With appreciation for your consistent presence…

Gargi – Thank you for going towards the oasis that awaits you. It is always available, even if sometimes it is an effort to turn ourselves around. It is worth it, and you are in great company, and a beautiful part of the human family and our community. Stay committed…

Blessing you Anna – for your kind praise and more so for your commitment to your own practice of self awareness. Thank you for being part of this community. Keep on…

Carol – Wow. Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful story with us, and for your being so courageously, lovingly present to see and hold the gifts of your life. Your sharing here is very moving, and I know that you will inspire others with your tenderness. Many, many blessings to you and all your companions…

These two words stuck out for me too Al and Art! What it represented to me was the tenacity and importance of being able to laugh at ourselves and our idiosyncrasies, no matter our circumstances. This was a beautiful bit of this piece – sandwiched in between so much deep meaning, this little moment when the corners of the mouth cannot help but turn upwards…Thank you Art. XO

Adore’ – What a moving post you have written, and it is a beautiful testimony to our work and to you, yourself. Thank you so much for letting us know that we make a difference by reminding you that you can make a difference! Your openness and big heart are moving.

Captiva – I am glad that this spoke to you. Thanks for reflecting on it.

So glad to be here for you Chelsea. Please stay connected.

You are welcome. This interaction means a lot in this moment. Thank you. Peace.