Taking Stock - Every journal entry, I try to end with "Today's Blessing that I'm Thankful For." Just like I hate to save up resolutions just for New Year's, I don't just save up thankfulness for Thanksgiving.

But it was really interesting, this morning, to take the time to read through My Blessings -- which is where I collect all the closing one liners into one reverse-chronology page. It picks me up when I'm having a rough time.

Things I noticed:
* Being thankful for specific friends: 256
  ** Number of People named more than once: 38
    *** Number of times my roomie was thanked: 7
    *** Number of times my laurel was thanked: 4
    *** Number of times Teffan was thanked: 4
  ** Number of People thanked after they'd died: 4
  ** Number of Groups of friends thanked: 22
* Being thankful for qualities in my friends: 9
* Being thankful for qualities in myself: 12
* Being thankful for concepts or realizations: 9
* Being thankful for my environment: 21

Now, those numbers might be slightly off -- I just kept a running tally informally, not with extreme spreadsheets or formulas for the calculations. But I did smile often at the names that were introduced, the names that were repeated, being thankful for concepts and qualities as well as circumstances and groups of people. I liked seeing names I hadn't thought of in a while, names I learned and didn't want to forget, memories that were dusty until I'd read through these notes.

Sometimes I wonder what my journal is for. Who reads it? How does it touch them? (or more rightly, how does it touch you?)

I know for me, I enjoy being able to share the narrative of my adventures and observations. Having a place to share photos and memories. And I write in the passion of the moment, which is easily lost when consumed by the next passion of the next moment. I like the ability to pause and reflect, and remember those past passions and moments, activities and experiences.

On my computer, I like to keep a little program running that displays photos in a randomly changing way. Every five minutes, three picture frames on my computer refresh and select a new random photo from my CaySwann.com files. It's so nice to be able to enjoy the photos regularly, and be reminded of weddings, birthday parties, travels, camping trips, family brunches, holidays, gift-giving opportunities, surprises, and accomplishments. In many ways, my thankfulness-lists and my photo widgets keep me from forgetting the past, while I'm trying to embrace the present and plan for the future. And I think I like the way that makes me live life.

You may ask me why I smile so often. How else can I show the gratitude I have for being alive and having you all in my life?

Happy Thanksgiving, my dearests.

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Today's Blessing That I'm Thankful For: Grand blessings in my life, indeed