Gratitude seems to me the foundation of a satisfied life, as it makes you conscious of blessings which might otherwise pass unnoticed and unsavored. So I have always tried to cultivate this kind of mindfulness.
As the word spread of my accident among my friends, a series of wonderful offerings, gifts and messages began to pour in. Friends gamely took up the challenge of thinking up ‘legal’ (i.e., low carb) liquids I might enjoy, or just as usefully, prepared meals for my ‘regular diet’ family. I received a dazzling bouquet of spring flowers and a dish garden of succulents. Office friends, remembering my interests, sent a bird jigsaw puzzle, among other thoughtfully targeted pastimes. A sweet cousin on the other coast, seeing my Facebook post about borrowing a blender, sent me a deluxe Nutribullet, and old friends across the continent commiserated and wished me well.
I have read that people who have confronted even dire adversity lovingly supported by their family and community often later describe these episodes as net positive — they would not wish to have missed the adversity, as their experiences gave them such a warm sense of their friends’ and neighbors’ kindness and solicitude. I can believe it — I certainly wish I had not broken my jaw, but maybe it was almost worth it to savor the concern and affection of my family, friends and community.
Linnetontheleaf 
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