My aunt has been trying to get me to keep a gratitude journal since I was in college. But I was all like, sure, I have a full scholarship and I got to run away from home but what do I have to be grateful for? I was so poor in college I ate tuna on rice for dinner which is better than the time I had ice cream for Thanksgiving. But whatever, you’ve heard this tune before.

But I have finally followed my aunt’s advice. I am even reading Oprah magazine. Can one turn into an Oprah disciple without actually watching Oprah? This is a question I contemplate now, my friends, as I put the finishing touches on today’s gratitude journal entry.

My gratitude journal has two parts. I draw a line down the middle and on one side I write down the things I am grateful for and on the other I write the things I am proud of. I am committed to doing it three times a day. I will even do it when I am pissed off and having a bad day. This has led to entries like:

Grateful for:

Blu-ray DVD player
Facebook
Twitter

Proud of:

Not killing anyone today
Being able to afford Blu-ray DVD player
Doing the dishes

But somehow, even after sad little entries like that, I feel, well, BETTER. Something stirs in my cold, cold little heart and the weight on my shoulders (and the pain between my shoulder blades) feels different. Good different.

Now, I’m not trying to CONVERT anybody but if you feel like throwing a little gratitude here and there, remember I set you straight about it first. You hear that, Oprah?