How are you thankful for the mundane?

By definition, the mundane is, well, ordinary and non-spectacular.

Meeting the President, securing a round of seed funding, watching your child take her first steps or receiving a diploma live up to the title of milestones or "once in a lifetime" events.

Even though I have Facebook and Instagram accounts with pretty pictures, I don't live the life of the rich and famous. The mundane is where we spend the majority of our time. No matter how much time we spend posing for a picture or capturing our lunch in a photograph, the ordinary is waiting for our return.

Our modern world rejects the common or at least tries to make it glamorous. My spell checker is flagging the use of "common" in the last sentence because it is overused and recommending other words that reflect an expansive vocabulary.

This is equivalent to waiting for the afternoon sunlight to touch the cheese and Wonderbread sandwich just right, before taking a picture to post on social media. 800,000 photos in an archive and nothing comes up when I search for "mundane," it ain't sexy.

We must capitalize on the massive block of time that comprises the minutes between birth and death. Thankfulness can transform the moments waiting to be picked up from school, cleaning the bathroom, cooking another dinner, or waiting in traffic (grrrrr).

Being caught in traffic on my way to the office means I have a job. Picking up blocks for the umpteenth time reminds me of the children in the next room. Arguing with dad about politics reveals that he is still alive. Paying the insurance bill indicates that I will get care to address a catastrophic diagnosis.

The thankfulness list is endless when given the time to adjust our perspective. When the first list is exhausted, comparing our lives to those who live in impoverished or war-torn nations or our list is exponential.

Let's rethink and recognize the blessings of the mundane. These moments are added up to equal a lifetime, and for that, we can be thankful.

Going Futher: How have you taken the mundane things in your life for granted? How can you embrace the mundane? How would this change impact your daily outlook?

Photo credit: My dishwasher rejects the label of mundane. It is working a rebranding strategy and available for photo shoots as a sexy dishwasher. DM for details.

Spell checker disclaimer: I love my spell checker, it continues to help me produce a better product for your consumption. As a result, we are all thankful to Grammarly.com. Thanks, guys!

What are you thankful for?

It is 12:15 am, and I am starting to write yesterday's post. I was in bed with blankets giving comfort from the blustery winds and real feel temperature of 16 degrees Fahrenheit outside, but I had not written a post.

I reasoned the community would let it slide.

The topic this week is thankfulness. America celebrates Thanksgiving this Thursday by getting together with friends and family. We eat a lot of rich food, renew relationships or argue about our differences, watch American football, and if all goes well catch a bit of a nap in the afternoon.

I live an abundant life that includes; a marriage of many years, children I love, meaningful work, vibrant spiritual community, and a writing project to inspire others to a richer life. I am a thankful man and have experienced many blessings.

On two occasions this weekend, I met gentlemen, that while not wealthy, said that if they were to die today, they are pleased with the life they have lived and are very happy. All three of us are content, and this is a good place to be.

While we are content, we are not complacent. There is much work to be done and it requires getting up out of a warm bed to do what is necessary.

My important task is to thank you for your attention and kind encouragement over these past several months as I brought this idea to life. We have covered many topics through the gift of inquiry. Most people are unwilling to pause, think, and encounter who they are deep down inside. This work can be time-consuming and scary, which is not popular in today's world.

Thank-you for the likes and comments of prose or emoji love. For the followers that stick around to see the new weekly topics and consider how the questions influence or impact your lives, I am grateful.

Seth Godin discusses the importance of consistency and showing up to do the work. Gary V talks about the #hustle and #grind of putting in the work. The easy response is to listen to the howling winds, duck further under the covers, and hustle off to dreamland. You are worth more than the easy response, and I am thankful for your presence at the other end of the Internet.

What do you appreciate about politics in your country?

The USA will hold elections on Tuesday. This particular presidential election cycle has been one for the record books and will provide plenty to analyze for future changes.

The temptation is to spend our time emphasizing all that is wrong with the opposition, the country, and the political process. Push back against the temptation, cause the brain to sweat, and notice the good. This line of thought may require lubricant to get the rusted gears of our brain functioning.

The ability for each citizen to have a voice in the political process and influence the leadership of the country is a relatively new possibly. The opportunity to cast a vote per our conscious is a precious gift and must be treated as such.

Henry Ford famously quipped, "a customer can have a car painted any color he wants as long as it’s black." A choice of multiple political candidates is still a choice. The process is public, known, and anyone that desires can throw their hat in the ring to provide another choice.

I appreciate those willing to spend their lives serving constituents. Not everyone is prepared to endure the meat grinder that is the negative and media infused political process.

We, the flawed populous, have incredible freedoms protected by imperfect elected officials. This dynamic will ensure we fight for the diversity of thoughts and desires held by the people.

Internal diversity also exists. I don't see the world exactly the same today, as twenty years ago. It is good I don't get everything I want today because I won't be the same in another twenty years. Different perspectives provide space for transformation. If your positions don't grow and change over your lifetime, you have missed the point.

Going Further: How has this political season altered your view of politics? What has this season caused you to appreciate about previous elections? What political candidate do you appreciate and why?