Quiet things. My meditation time. Reading. Chatting with my best friend off and on all day long. Listening to Broadway show tunes. Jazz. Erik Satie.

I really like my Kindle. I know Amazon and Jeff Bezos are evil, but I love the convenience and the technology behind my little ereader. I recently traveled, and I had so much to read. It was so good to have dozens of books to choose from.

I appreciate good food. While I was traveling, I ate the best Italian food I’ve ever had in my life. Manicotti made with fresh Italian crepes, homemade ricotta, and the best fresh sauce. It was a revelation. Of course, I had the cannolis for dessert. I was in heaven.

I appreciate good tea. I blend my own with English Breakfast, which is just Chinese Black Keemum, and Assam. It’s rich. I have an herbal blend that I just adore.

I greatly appreciate questions like this that give an opportunity to think about pleasure and serenity.

Meh… that other question you mentioned got me bummed out after reading it. Think I’ll just sit here and fume, because the only way my jack weed boss will let me off Labor Day is if I work today. Major F-ing bull shit.

@Nomore_lockout I hear you. I’m waiting for other replies too.

I probably do focus on the negative more than the positive (especially in the past couple of years). It’s hard to not be in that negative mood right off the bat, especially when I woke up this morning and saw the sky was orange again because of wildfire smoke. :(

But there’s plenty I do appreciate, like my twin brother. We celebrated our 30th birthday last week and it was long-distance because he lives in North Carolina (he couldn’t be farther from me!); but we ended up talking to each other for hours, planning out a European vacation we’ll take together next year (if all goes well). I appreciate any chance to see him and any chance to travel and leave my comfort zone for a while.

That said, I do appreciate my comfort zone. I’m currently reading three books (probably will only be able to focus on two), listening to several interesting podcasts, spending time in the garden, and reconnecting with my students. I’ll be finishing my PhD next year and then will hopefully be able to get a full-time teaching job. So there’s plenty positive for me to reflect on and look forward to. Just can’t let the negative overtake it, even though it threatens to regularly.

I appreciate living in a time and place where medications and good medical care are readily available and I am able to access them.

I appreciate having good health, and that my daughter has good health.

I appreciate having some degree of financial comfort, so that if I want something, for the most part, I can get it, within reason of course, and I don’t have expensive taste, but I am comfortable.

I appreciate living in an area that is good in a multitude of ways. Safe, relatively rural yet somewhat close to the city when I want to go to the city, close to good shopping, close to good restaurants, close to beautiful nature. I live in “horse country” and an area with lots of lakes, great hiking, NY Hudson Valley, a few hours from PA Pocono mountains – a few hours from Boston and Cape Cod – so many great places, within reach.

@Hawaii_Jake: On your trip, did you go to NYC’s Little Italy? I know in NYC, you don’t have to go to Little Italy to get good Italian food, just curious about what you did. I used to love going to Ferrara’s for pastries, and then heading down to SoHo and Canal Street.

What do i appreciate?

The way the light hits the trees just after sunrise. Seeing a crescent moon right before sunset on the evening after a new moon.

The sweet smell of a new born’s neck.

Hugs from my grown kids. Smiles on the face of someoone you haven’t seen in a long while.

@jca2 I didn’t eat Italian in NYC. I ate at a family restaurant in Worcester, Massachusetts. Russo’s was the name.

@zenvelo Thank you for reminding me. I love hugs from people I love. I got to hug my daughters on my trip. Good, long hugs.

I appreciate:

Experiences whether good or bad ,in the past that shaped who I am today.

My retirement as it affords me the needed alone times to do all of the things that I never had time to do.

My innate curiosity as without that I would not had met up with so many from different people of various cultures because of living in a National Park that garners over millions of visitors, from all walks of life.

Time that is mine to do with what I wish to do each day .

Interests that I continue to get absorbed in and produce lasting memories .

Life is constant learning and I try variety of courses offered online, some I continue others once learned I put aside but at least I tried it.

Fresh unpolluted air as I live in a national park system which affords me with numerous free activities
( hiking,biking,painting, sketching,photography and so on).

Having a good up to date computer system that allows me to surf the web and groups to join on social sites of which many are in touch with otherwise would never had met in person.

Having cellphone for instant communication to my family daily.

Having not to worry about finances, job and so on . Living in a good comfortable apartment that looks out to the mountains a short distance away and the wildlife views. ( Elk, Deer,Canada Geese,migratory birds that come seasonally,wildflowers in summer months and glacier like ice pile ups on the Athabasca River in the winter months,Activities, Festivals,Hockey games, and so on. A vibrant community).

Saved money by not needing fancy work clothes,Car & Insurance for it,since its a casual lifestyle free of City Life expectations ( party life,etc).

I feel very fortunate now in my retirement to have free time, to breathe easy knowing that all is safe and secure and everything is in a convenient short distance away ( amenities).

At Peace in this time of my life that was long in coming.

Had lots of regrets as to aspirations that never bloomed, but realize that it was probably not for me as I would not had ended up here where I belong and felt the best as ever I did in my whole life, I am thankful for all of my experiences that had lead me here..the real home for me all along..Nature.

Now to continue writing our Family Saga as a legacy to hand down to descendants to appreciate.

I appreciate that I got a chance to rant in that other threat! :P

I appreciate these beautiful cool morning, a comfy bed, a roof over my head and money in the bank. Being pain-free, living in a country where I wake up and hear birds instead of bombs. I appreciate the people and animals that love me and show me kindness.

The older I get, the more I appreciate the thing’s so many people around the world don’t have. My world is not negative, every day is a new day, and a new opportunity to smile or make someone else smile.

I appreciated cycling to Largs yesterday with three friends on a beautiful summer’s day with an unexpected bonus of cream scones by the loch where we stopped for lunch.

Waking each day

Ok better
Now. Guess I’ll say I appreciate the fact that one of my sisters has made a good recovery from lymph node surgery and is going home today. More surgery in future but done for now, they want her to have time to heal from this..So I guess there’s always something to be happy about.

2, 4, 6, 8.
(RAH, RAH, RAH!)

But seriously, folks, I appreciate not having children.

Thank you @all for your answers. I see that a few of you are glad that you can look at things in a more positive way.

I’m in a clearer mind now so I can see a few things that I appreciate. I appreciate that I don’t have to worry much about what to eat next during this lockdown. I appreciate that I have people who can proofread my story. And I appreciate that I am coping ok with staying at home for a long time.

@kritiper I second that!

Good manners and proper English.