I am thinking about gratitude. It’s not hard for me. I was born an optimist; I always see the glass half-full. I always make lemonade from lemons — what else would you do with them? Yes, it is true that I have had my share of bad days, but I’ll be the first to tell you that they have made me a better person, and a better doctor, too. See what I mean? It’s a given. I had a quiet laugh this week when my dear friend send me a “positivity challenge” on Facebook because, as far as I’m concerned, it’s never been positivity that was the challenge!

Nevertheless, there is so much for which I am grateful. Here is a very shortened list:

I am running finally, after years of frustrated fits and starts!

It’s not too rainy to run today; the rain is so light this morning that I can run between the drops!

I was in touch with four friends by 9 am this morning!

And one of them invited me to run in a 10K with her at the Gay Games, with tens of thousands of guests expected to captivate Cleveland (and vice versa) beginning at the end of this coming week!

And another friend suggested coffee later this morning, to which I said “Yes!”

I am deeply grateful to a family in Carmiel whose commitment to nutritious food and lovingkindness allowed my son the excitement, the rare and greatly appreciated pleasure, of enjoying a bowl of sweet potato ice cream made with coconut and sunflower seed milks!

I was invited to participate in a positivity challenge!

My parents are coming to visit this week!

I’ve been cultivating mindfulness through Stress Free Now, an amazing program developed at the Cleveland Clinic by some of my favorite people!

I predict that mindfulness will be the term of the year, and perhaps the decade. Everyone is so tired of being tired. I am so done with multi-tasking, and I am so grateful for the realization.