Mindful Gratitude
(A Grateful Mind)
By: Charm Damon
I woke up with a grateful heart,
But I am also especially thankful for a grateful mind,
A conscious, grateful one that doesn’t just think and utter,
“Salamat.”
“Merci.”
“Grazie.”
“Danke.”
“Terimah kasi,”
“Asante,”
“Shukran,”
“Wado,”
“Xiexie,”
“Thank you,” and others in-between and around.
Sometimes, a grateful heart is not what we need,
Some days, it is a grateful mind that we should seek,
Not just a conscious, grateful heart and mouth that would utter “Gracias,”
But we also need a conscious, grateful mind that sees, processes, and stamps in memory,
The precious blessings the Universe gifts us each day, each hour, every breath.
What the heart feels and recognizes in abstract, the mind does in still, concrete forms.
Gratitude for successes and loves is not always felt in the heart,
It is also concrete, recognized by the mind.
Success is a forgiving adult, a given up vice, a halted war, a triumphant fight against cancer,
Love is our mother, our child, our friend, our better half, a squeeze on the hand, a postcard from afar.
Today, I am thankful for a grateful heart.
But this moment and everyday, I am just as thankful for a grateful mind.
As Thanksgiving nears, what are you grateful for today, heartfully and mindfully? 
