The following came from David, the inspiration of Taking it for Granted. David is in a correctional facility, a place we don't ordinarily associate with gratitude. He had not yet seen my Living in a Grateful World series when he sent this to me on Christmas Day...
Amituofo. I hope all is well with you this Holiday Season, I'm doing pretty well. This is my 11th Christmas in places like this, and this is not the best time of the year to be here so this year I'am trying to reflect more on the positive than the negetive, and I have many positive things to be thankful for, such as I'am not yet old, sick, or dead, I have a clear thinking mind, I get around pretty well, I play ping-pong, and the guitar real well, and all though I don't eat any flesh I can pretty much eat other things that I like so I'am blessed much more than billions of others who might not get to eat at all!
But my bigest blessings are I am fortunate to be able to study and even more important to practice the Buddhadharma. Thank you. Yours in the Dharma, David.
Amituofo David.
And thank you.