Listening to the upper one of these - in a version 1.4 -  humming most of the afternoon and evening - even though she lost her bike today, simply by forgetting to bring it with her out the train.... 

And hearing the lower one of these - in a version 1.2 - coming out of his cave for just a few minutes (only to gather further supplies) and then stating: "I am SOOO happy today. I don't know why. But I AM!" 

That's my gratitude today!!!

Passed by this terrasse at the Farmers Market in the center of Copenhagen. 
Felt a rush of joy. 
Grateful for being out of bed, and back in CPH. 

Home with the flu, and being served freshly baked cookies in bed by my daughter. 

This posting has actually been posted too late. I was ill last night, and I just couldn't bear the strong light of the computer in my eyes, so even though I had promised myself to post every single day, this one had to wait till today. 

I did however find my gratitude moment and photo yesterday, while walking from one meeting to the next, and then back home from the train in the afternoon. I didn't feel good at all. The flue was approaching but getting outside walking and feeling the fresh air on my face, almost made me forget about the headache and the feeling af fever approaching. Met friends in the train, and caught random smiles on my way, and once again got amazed how much sharing smiles with strangers can actually energize you and make everything you do feel just a little easier. 

But no matter how much I value random smiles on the street, the feeling get surpassed a million times by the feeling of suddenly running into my son out there. While walking back home from the train I suddenly notice him on the other side of the street. He was on his bike, dressed in football clothes and on his way to a training. 

We notice each other at the exact same moment, and within seconds he had stopped, left his bike laying in the grass, and then he ran to me with hugs, kisses and smiles, before he took off again, cykling and waving. 

For the rest of that walk back, I totally forgot about the flue, and instead I almost flew 10 inches above the asphalt.

Spending the entire evening under a blanket in my son's room. Watching a movie while he was playing a computer game, but just laying there close to him, and having to let him stay up half an hour longer, just because I wasn't ably to let go. 

Took a picture today, thinking that I had found my gratitude in a planned celebration tonight. 
When approaching the time for this blog, I did however remind myself that a gratitude, which is not felt, does not count. That's the rule I made for myself. 

And no matter how much my rational mind appreciate the circumstances for tonight's celebration, and even though there were actually more of them, it just felt so different from what I had expected. It didn't feel like gratitude the way I had thought I would. It actually felt more like sadness. 

But even on days, painted in light blue, gratitude can take a hold on you. 

Today I felt mine, easy and smooth, while going shopping with my daughter this afternoon. Just being around her, listening to her talk, seeing her smile, and feeling her hugs, that was my sincere gratitude moments of today. 

To find my gratitude today, I had to look a little closer. So to illustrate that, I've chosen to zoom in on the picture I took of the celebration, and this is what I got. 

Gratitude is sitting outside the entire evening, sharing pieces of life with someone you really care about. 

I decided to be, and therefore I've become. 
It's hard work, but it's worth it!

Yesterday I thought that my gratitude today would be related to my sense of taste. 
I didn't include that sense in my gratitude yesterday, so I thought I would go crazy spoiling my tastebuds today. 

It's not that I haven't spoiled them. I had plenty of foods today, as always. And lots of foods that I really enjoy, but even though I tried, I wasn't really able to dwel with the taste today, and I cannot honestly say that any of the tastings I had actually made me feel grateful. 

I even went down to the harbor this evening with the rest of my family, buying and enjoying our very first ice cream this year - or at least it's my first. But still, I did not succeed in feeling the gratitude. And when I don't feel it, it does not count. That's my gratitude rule :-) Maybe I just tried too hard. 

But I did feel gratitude today, and at a time when I did not try at all. 
I was driving back home from work in the train this afternoon. The train was extremely crowded. There were bikes and prams all over, it was quite warm, half of us had to stand, and since I am not a strong standing-passenger, I really had to concentrate on not getting sick. However even though my concentration was quite occupied, and the means of transportation this afternoon wasn't comfortable at all, gratitude came quite strong and convincing during this ride. 

I started noticing a man in his late twenties. He was drinking a beer from a can. He had spilled some of it before I noticed him, and now he came back from the toilet, where he probably had washed of the beer from his hands or clothes. 

A woman in her late 50's or early 60's held his chair down for him when he came back. He was holding his beer in one hand, and his smart phone and earplugs in the other. They smiled at each other, and then she offers him a napkin from her bag. He accept with appreciation, and he then tried to dry the floor. Once again they smiled at each other, and exchanged a few words, and then he spontaneously reach out and shook her hand, while they presented themselves to each other. 

No irritation, no condemnation. 
On the contrary a lot of approachability.

Emotions can be contagious. 
We actually do have mirror neurons that makes us tune in, and mimic each other, many times each and every day, and in lots of situations, and therefore emotions can actually spread from one person to another. 

I don't know if that's what happened in my train today. And I don't know if these two people infected the rest of us, but despite the fact that people were bumping into each other all the time, everyone seemed to be focused on helping each other out, and being appreciative. 

Bikes were held and replaced smooth and with lots of cooperation, children were entertained cross-wagon, bags and chairs were held, smiles were exchanged, and even when two extra prams arrived in a train that was already way too crowded, everybody just seemed to support the woman closest to the door, who said; "Of course we have room for you as well! There is room for everybody". 

My gratitude today therefore goes to a surprisingly welcoming and cooperative atmosphere amongst a lot of strangers sharing approximately half an hour in an overly-crowded train, on an ordinary Wednesday afternoon, which actually made that little incident so extraordinary that I still carried it with me to the ice cream stroll to the harbor and the beach quite a few hours later.

Getting up at 5 a.m. this morning, and while showering listening to an orchestra of birds welcoming the dawn. 
Waiting for my morning ride to CPH at 6. am while watching the sun rise. 
It actually feels quite warm already.  
Taking the train back in the afternoon, and walking from the station. 
Dazed by tons of sweet smells, steaming at me from each and every garden I pass on my way. 

Exceptionally grateful for being able to hear, see, feel and smell. I might sometimes take all this for granted, but each and every sensation is truly a gift!!!

Tomorrow I am going to excite my sense of taste :-)