My best friend and I maintain a daily gratitude exchange via text.  She’s in Santa Monica, I’m just outside of Portland, Or.   Daily we send each other a text of what we’re grateful for even when we’re having a not-so-great day.  It’s helpful – it’s good for us – we never miss a day.  Try it with a trusted friend, spouse or accountability partner.

Overlooking the Cancun ocean that greeted me at the footsteps of the beautiful villa early one morning, just as the birds awoke, I leaned against the glass ocean wall that divided the beach from the enclosed patio.  Watching the waves come in from the stillness of the horizon I stared at the distance where the grey clouds of the morning met the edge of the earth.  The peace of the moment absorbed me.

Seemingly out of nowhere a dark, red-orange, fiery ball pierced through the clouds separating the grey and gently rose just as it does every single day.  As I watched it ascend I broke down crying at the sun’s magnificence, I broke down crying in marvel at it’s beauty and it’s calm confidence in claiming it’s ultimate purpose, I broke down crying because a feeling that everything is moving forward just as it should be came over me.  A moment of letting go engulfed by the stillness, the powerful red-orange sun and the consistency of waves crashing.

I wished I had my camera but not wanting to lose the pure moment I stayed mesmerized and in full gratitude of this beautiful planet we live on.  Still in awe of the magnitude of the moment, I felt a greater sense of love, compassion, sorrow and acceptance towards the infinite molecules that make up our physical world.

Whenever I feel “that crazy thing called life” whirling around I stop, slow down and remember how insignificant my problems seemed the moment the sun showed me how to be grateful for my time on earth right now.

I am grateful for my ability to appreciate the beauty in the world, grateful for those who genuinely care and grateful for the perseverance in the causes I lead.