We all get busy and end up taking what we have for granted. In 1965, an international gathering was held in Hawaii. The group attending the meeting decided it would be a good idea to have one day per year to formally express gratitude and appreciation for the 
wonderful things to be found in the world. After the meeting in Hawaii, many attendees marked Gratitude Day on September 21st 1966 in their respective countries. Since then, Gratitude Day across the world has continued to grow.
In pausing to think of all the good things I have many thoughts come to mind:
- Friends that have supported me in my journey. Although many did not understand why I chose the path I did, they have come to realize it gave me the chance to do what made sense to me.
- Family that showed me the value of hard work. My father worked for various companies before becoming an entrepreneur. He worked very long hours and I didn’t see him much during that time, but his example has helped me in my business.
- My corporate life taught me the positive and negative aspects of business. Although I eventually walked away from the corporate scene, I learned how to conduct myself in a professional manner in meetings and in interactions with customers. The corporate experience also showed me the negative side of business, the importance of staying in contact with employees and customers, and how things can go wrong quickly if one fails in these areas.
- Books that showed me new worlds. I have been a book lover since I was a child, and reading is my favorite escape. I’ve learned so much by reading books, and it’s also helped me with my writing.
- Health is something I always took for granted until I didn’t have it. It’s important to treat your body well, nourish it, take care of it and it will take care of you.
- My business has been an education in so many ways. Being an entrepreneur isn’t an easy road, and it’s not for everyone. If you can hang in there, learn from mistakes and not take anything or anyone for granted, being an entrepreneur can be a very rewarding path.
- My fur friends Bo, Jessie, Marty, J.R. and April have shown me what unconditional love is, and I will be forever grateful. They have loved me sometimes when I didn’t even love myself, and I return that love to them. All of them will be in my heart forever, and I will never forget any of them.
- My home, sometimes it’s a love/hate relationship with my house. Maintenance issues can become overwhelming and costly, but I have a safe place to live, which I appreciate because there are many who don’t have a place to call home.
This list is not all-inclusive, nor is it in order of importance, but all of these make me feel very grateful.
On this World Gratitude Day, I encourage you to take a moment to ponder, what are you grateful for?
Written by Karen
