A favorite avatar of mine is Dr. Caroline Myss, and her recent newsletter got me thinking about the power of the mind to change circumstances.  She recently lectured in Dubai, and the evening after her lecture, she had dinner at a table that including people from different cultures that have been at war.  These folks all moved from their respective countries to Dubai which is an economically booming culture of the middle east and has not faced war as there is no focus upon it.  We're definitely talking a wealthy area though it appears to be most wealthy because of their ability to work with one another instead of fighting.  (Imagine, enjoying peace BECAUSE you choose to be peaceable with your "enemies"--what a concept!) Ok, so the Winter Solstice is tomorrow, and the event is so totally on my mind.  For me, this is the Holiday Season, and many of my friends on DS will understand why.  All of this thought keeps leading me to the gratitude factor of the reason for the season quite frankly.  Let's face it, gratitude is not important when you have everything your heart desires!  Gratitude is important when you are thankful for the simple things that occur in your life. That being said, I am still more spoiled than at least a full 75% of the world I am sure.  I can be grateful for my little house which is a warm haven.  I can be grateful for more food than my partner and I could consume in one month in my freezers & fridge & pantry (and the fact that I have freezers in which to store said food).  I am eternally grateful that I am nice and warm and safe and dry!  I am grateful that my evening shower washed away most of the negativity that I felt today for really no good reason (holidays make me crazy--and heck, most of the world does not have water to waste on a bath or shower!). Really, I'm eternally grateful for a little man (we're all shorties in my household including the inside puppups) who hauls all of the heavy stuff AND puts up with my moods.  Further, he can fix any engine that has been made so my truck repair tomorrow costs me only $30 instead of another $60 or so for installation--how can THAT not be something for which to be grateful?   I'm grateful for dogz who protect my household always (even PaPoo who always seems to need to go out at the witching hour--4 a.m.--no matter at what time our last out occurs).  Maybe lately, she has been reminding me to be more MINDFUL of all the wonderful gifts in my life for which to be grateful!  With the holidays upon us, I'm just waiting for more MS problems as they always occur at this time of year.  Much of this has to do with my trip to dramaville in PA, but it has to be done.  (My Mom picks me up and takes me there--3 hours of driving which I cannot do as I'd end up in Florida or Russia, I'm sure... LOL)\ Most importantly, I am grateful for friends from near and far.  I'm amazed that I've been graced with the friendships that I've made with folks all over the country thanks to DS!  I'm amazed that I've keep a few friends from my gallery dayz so long ago...  A little bit of editting on this one, "Goddess knows I'm a lucky woman, Goddess has given me a pretty good hand, got a little house, and a piece of land.  A few dollars in a coffee can, an ole truck that's running good. Ticker's running like they say it should, warm dinner in the oven, a good man's lovin' and another day to be my little puppups mamme... Goddess knows I'm a lucky woman...".  Apologies to the hillbilly that wrote the song, but when it comes on my radio, I crank it up.  I truly am lucky for which I am eternally grateful...