Do you ever just wake up and all you feel is an overwhelming feeling of gratitude? I mean really intense gratitude is suddenly at the forefront even when the world seems to be collapsing around you. Well, if you haven't experienced it, it's quite a feeling of euphoria, especially when you really could complain about a whole lot in your life and about the terrible things happening in the world, but instead you just feel nothing short of grateful for the things you take for granted, like breathing, walking, running, seeing, hearing.

I like to breathe. Some people have stopped breathing. Some people can't breathe because they have a severe case of asthma or other ailments.

I like to walk a lot. I can probably outwalk most normal people on any given day. Five miles is slacking for me. I also like knowing that I can run if I want to. But I don't generally want to, choosing only to do a quick sprint periodically. Some people don't have this option and must accept that they will never be able to do either again.

I like having my vision and all of its imperfections. I like to view things and cock my head from side to side in full admiration. I like having assistance, too. Without my glasses or contacts I'd be stranded somewhere. Some people were born without sight or have lost their sight in later years.

I like to hear the sounds ... ocean waves, the human voice, birds singing, a wide assortment of music. Some people are deaf and have been since birth.

Gratitude.

Still, for many of those who have lost one or more of their five most common senses (hearing, sight, smell, touch, taste) they will tell you their lives are perfect and they would not change a thing. I believe them. Further, not having one of these five senses generally intensifies one of the others, as we've seen with countless geniuses--past, present, future.

It just goes to show you, for every seemingly negative thought, feeling, experience, you can replace it with a positive one.

When you start your day with gratitude, you're setting a whole new precedent for the day. Intense gratitude is when everything you know you should be thankful for just swarms you, engulfs you and all the other things you find yourself complaining about has no place in your thought process.

At least not today.

#gratitude