Matt W Cook

I’ve come to believe that grateful appreciation is one of the keys to happiness.  And the nicest thing about grateful appreciation is that I can do it any time, no matter what.  It’s easy to make a list of the things that make me grateful today.

• For Joe, who came into our room when he heard Dev wake up, just to take him into the living room so Ruth and I could get a few more minutes of sleep.
• For Asha, who came in shortly after to wake us up by crawling all over us, just like kids in the movies do.
• For Dev, who is determined to figure out how to stand up without support, no matter how many times he falls.
• For Ruth, who shared my breakfast and my journey in the snow.  Who always shares my meals and journeys.

Those are just the obvious ones.  But when I’m mindful, every moment is full of things to appreciate.

• The challenge of study and exams.
• The dense snowfall, making  my walks downtown other-worldly.
• The frigid wind that bites my face.
• The way the dancing snow only sticks to the parts of the trees where two branches meet.
• The sense of triumph when I finally arrive at Robarts Library.
• The standing in line with other shivering, studying students aching for coffee.
• The smell of the Reading Room.
• The view from my cubicle.
• The feel of the keyboard under my fingers.

This is where happiness is: mindfulness in each moment.  Recognizing that each moment is the best moment.  That Today is always the very best day.