A brief post on Giving Thanks

I just want to wish everyone a day that they can find 10 things they are grateful for.

As a person who has tended towards depression and negative ruminating, one of the most helpful things I was taught was.... to open my eyes to the small things in life worth being thankful for, (sometimes I need reminders to do this) . I know this can be challenging when life feels over-whelming and there is so much pain in the world . Even when my own life feels free of pain, I am often hurt by the pain of others around me. This seems to contradict some stereo-types of autistics being indifferent to others, but I have had others aspies express the same issue . It's true that I may often be wrapped up in my own interests and unaware of that others are hurting, other times I just don't know what to "do" to help, so I stay mute. But there are obvious sufferings that hurt like I am passing through fire . To see a vulnerable animal or child in pain, to think of all the "strangers" who are currently hungry, cold, lonely and lost to hope .

Today, my heart is with the people in India, but inspite of the medias lack of coverage of other issues, I know that there are also currently genocides being ignored and millions of people else where being exploited . These things hurt me . That we live ina world where people can inflict such hurt on others...hurts me . One very unhelpful thing that some people used to do when I was depressed was try and say I should stop thinking about my own small problems and be grateful that I wasn't starving in Africa . Is that really supposed to make me feel better...that there are people suffering more then me...absurd,( and honestly, always made my depression more over whelming) .

Instead, for me, the best way to feel some relief from all the worlds pain is to focus on the things in life I am grateful for . One huge one for me is all the people who extend their hearts to those that are suffering . Statistically, their are more of them then the few who wish to harm others.
I am grateful for the many people in my own life who have helped me personally get through some very difficult times.....family, friends and most amazingly...complete strangers . I am also grateful, for the few people and animals, I have been allowed to try and help . I see every opportunity as a chance to pay back the huge debt I owe to those who have helped me . I don't know of anything that feels better then knowing you have given a bit of comfort or love to a stranger or one of the dogs I used to work with .

I also want to give thanks for all the beautiful animals who have shared their life with me and the humans who have tolerated my "differences" and excepted me inspite of them . I want to give thanks to the artist and authors who have saved my life with their beauty, insight, and humor . You will never know how close I was to leaving this world but kept going because I had to find out how the story ended...(yours, not mine) . A huge thank you for the people who worked so hard to make the Internet happen and all those who have taken their time to keep it going . You have made some aspies, much less lonely and I think opened the world to us .

And to whatever power, created the million miracles I have found in the natural world...the shiny rocks, fuzzy animals, redwood forests, waterfalls and most importantly the ability to "feel" their beauty....simply stunning....Thank You !