I can start the day by criticizing myself for not having gone to sleep earlier, for drinking that extra glass of wine. True, true. But this kind of truth doesn’t set me free. Why not be thankful, instead, that I opened my eyes and got out of bed? To take this for granted would be the day’s first mistake.
I’m grateful for the birds who are singing this morning. Though I don’t know what they’re singing, I know it’s not a song of lament. Brushing my teeth in front of the bathroom mirror, I stare groggily at my reflection. Yes, I think, that’s me, knowing the mirror would never lie, so I’m grateful for mirrors. Soon the sky will fill with light. I’m grateful for the light. I’m grateful for the trees outside and for their winding roots. They go down, down, down, so I’m grateful for darkness.
