For the record, sometimes doing this blog is downright hard. Sometimes it’s tough trying to find six things for which I’m grateful through my day if it’s been a rough one. (I’ve heard six is a good minimum, by the way, which is why I do it. I had started with three, which is way too easy.) Sometimes time gets away from me or I’ll fall asleep and have to adjust the date on my settings if I don’t post it before midnight. Sometimes I feel weird if I’m expressing gratitude for the same things over and over, etc.
And then sometimes I get some really horrible news before I start writing.
It only stopped me from detailing my daily list once – the night I lost April. There was just no way I could have wrapped my head around doing it that night. But I know my friend Shane would not want me to give up on the one important spiritual practice to which I am most dedicated.
So today I Am grateful for my friends Alan and Tricia, who first introduced me to Shane Zwiebel – if memory serves me I think it was at Alan’s 50th birthday party at the old location of CSLNJ in West Orange, but it might have been before that. Maybe it was their wedding, or maybe even before that. I honestly don’t remember, but meeting him was life-changing, for I had met a damn good friend.
I Am also grateful for randomly running into Shane one day at ShopRite, where he proceeded to tell me about his chiropractor whose skills were damn near miraculous – and before long my ex-wife became a steady client and benefited greatly.
I Am grateful as well for the parades in which we would randomly run into each other, and for the few gigs that he asked me to play for him.
I Am grateful further for meeting his gem of a wife Rebecca, hearing the news about the birth of their children and watching them grow – and even follow their dad’s passion for bowling.
I Am also grateful for getting to do a little video project for his big band at the legendary Trumpets in Montclair.
I Am grateful as well for the Thomas the Tank Engine toddler bed he gave to my son David, after his son outgrew it and David outgrew his baby sleeper.
I Am grateful further for the time I helped him when he got backed up at his embroidery shop – and for his and Becky’s help when I had some car trouble.
I Am also grateful for getting the chance to point him in a direction this summer which had some profound impact on his health and well-being.
Finally I Am grateful for all of his random phone calls, all of his stories and anecdotes, all of the many, many, many laughs and all of pure love and joy that he demonstrated.
The world has lost an amazing human being last night. And heaven just gained one hell of an angel.
I Am grateful for NOW, the only moment there is, metaphysically speaking, knowing everything I could possibly want is in existence NOW and is in my grasp NOW. In respect to this physical plane in which we use “clock time” to measure the Eternal Now, I Am looking forward to an amazing tomorrow, filled with love and joy, prosperity and abundance, creation and completion, new possibilities and new realities. I anticipate ending the day in complete satisfaction, knowing that only good comes to me, always. It is going to be the best day of my life, and I Am grateful for tomorrow today!
And So It Is.
Namaste,
Brian
P.S. On this particular night, I am NOT grateful for the coronavirus pandemic. You suck, COVID! But I Am grateful for allowing myself to know that it’s okay to be pissed off about it.
