Gratitude In The City Of Angels

We all talk a lot about gratitude at this time of the year, and as Thanksgiving is coming right up, that's great. It's so much more than a word to toss around, though. When you truly feel it, it's super powerful, and as a guru lady on the beach once told me ... "Gratitude is the glory." That is truth right there.

I missed out on a bunch of fun things over the weekend, because last week I woke up on Thursday with my face so swollen it was deformed. It was painful and atrocious to look at, and further reminded me why I would never be a candidate for botox or lip fillers. Yuck. Not a good look. At all. I took Benedryl. Nothing. I finally went in to Westside Walk In Clinic to see the wonderful Hannah on Friday, and though we still don't really know why this happened, my face was pretty much back to normal by the next morning. I still feel a little weird, especially as I don't exactly know what went down, but MAN, did the whole deal make me SO grateful for when everything is working and looking good. We used to see a guy in a wheelchair down on the Boardwalk all the time, and call him our "Gratitude Guru", because he was always so positive and upbeat, despite living under very trying circumstances. People let the littlest things get them down, but when you don't have your health, nothing else really matters. Nothing else can really get done. You simply cannot take it for granted.

A gratitude walk was ultra-necessary for me this morning - especially now that I felt I could go back out into the public. The sky was filled with wispy clouds resembling angels, and I felt completely full with thanks and praise for this beautiful place, and for the upswing in my health (I think). There's still a whole bunch of things that need real work in my life (housing in Venice! lots more work! cool dudes!), but the simple pleasure of not feeling pain and not looking like a total Elephant Woman made me almost click my heels together in the air as I breathed in the golden day and fresh air.

As we gear up for this busy, fun, friends and family time of celebration, let's be seriously thankful - in addition to every other good thing - for every easy step we take, every non-labored breath, and every moment that feels no pain.

To your health!