One of my favorite bloggers, Dr. Wayne Dyer, wrote one of his many inspiring pieces last week, this time on on being thankful. When I blogged a few weeks ago, demanding that leaders feed their people, this was the kind of message I was craving. Now, inspired, I am motivated to change my thoughts, and my actions.

I can be thankful for my membership at the sports club, where on weekends I swim laps in the pool. And on a rare occasion like today, I can take a day off from the office, attend some exercise classes and get a top-notch massage. It’s a respite I am thankful to have.

I can be thankful for my friend who joined me today. She was the inspiration to do the much-needed retreat, recharging from the stresses of our lives as working mothers by exercising and conversation, not just a massage. It wasn’t the first time she’s inspired me to pay attention to my body, and not just my brain.

I can be thankful for another girlfriend who invited me to a house concert for Steve Bell, whose music in turn inspired me to write “My Uncle is Dead“, my second short story in less than a year, and the second one since college creative writing class, I’m sure. How valuable is a friend, who can expand your horizons?

I can be thankful for the meditative prayer group I’ve rediscovered, introduced to me by another friend. I feel blessed to have that quiet time with God, unadorned with prayers or rubrics, just silently listening, waiting for Him. Like the yoga class today, each session is a spring-cleaning — emptying one’s mind of all those busy thoughts, the never-ending to-do list, the litany of anxieties. “Breathe in, breathe out, move on“, as Jimmy Buffett would put it.

Tomorrow I will plunge back into reality. An inbox of e-mail overflowing with things to do, some new, some old, some overdue. Another call with the veterinarian about the much loved, too-young-to-be-so-expensive cat. And all the rest of the day in, day out responsibilities of being a commuting, working mom.

With a little help from my inspirations, perhaps I can stay in this state of thankfulness and peace, or even better, pass it on to someone else, too.