Love, meaning and the art of being thankful for things that matter

This is Thanksgiving weekend and I want to think about that with you. Day after day, the media never lets us forget how many things we have to be scared and angry about. No matter what I say to you today, these things will not be going away. But meanwhile, what do we have to be thankful for?

Remember, I have no idea what’s going on in any of your lives, what burdens you might be carrying. For example, I just got hit by a car. It really hurts. But — and this really counts — I might be dead.

Lawrence Brown

Let’s start here. We’re not dead. Happy Thanksgiving! How can you tell when someone isn’t dead? They’re still breathing. So that’s a good place to start. Most practices of meditation start with a breath. Having a rough day?  Wanna calm down? Then turn off all the electronics. Get quiet. Just breathe and pay attention to it.

Listen to your breath. Feel your breath and calm down. You’re not dead. This breathing thing is a big deal. Ask anyone who has lost someone they love. At the heart of it, love is just wanting to be with someone. Even puppies and pussycats with brains the size of a walnut understand this. Just to be in the room with someone … just to hear them breathing can be more than enough.

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