set the stage

In the morning, as I emerge from sleep, and first wake up, (before I even open my eyes), I think of three things for which I am grateful. The comfort of my pillow. The softness of my sheets. The fact that I have the ability to feel them. Simple things. I have feet to put on the floor. Legs that walk me to the bathroom. The mere fact that I have a bathroom is something to be grateful for. That means I have running water. Billions of people don't. In the time it takes me to do this simple, life-enhancing practice, about 15 people will have died of starvation somewhere on our tiny planet. It's about one per minute, globally, and it's usually due to a lack of food and water. That's not me. I'm here now. I have been given another day. Days can be hard, and life can be challenging, but I can always find something in it for which I am grateful. Even if it's just the simple fact that I can read, and have empathy for those who passed in such a horrible way.