Giving Thanks

Every morning my mother goes to church and prays to all nine choirs of angels. Organized in three groups of three angels each, the choirs have a hierarchy you might expect in order to get from her heart to the Big Man himself.  First are the Angels of the World that hang around us.  The Angels of the Cosmos inhabit the space between us and Heaven.  Finally, the Angels of Pure Goodness (the archangel variety) hold the highest rank and sit right next to God.

Together, they may just have worked a miracle this week with a car crash in our family that could have been devastating. Instead, we are giving enormous thanks.  And this video is all about the things I'm feeling grateful for… from family and random acts of kindness to men in skirts and a little boy's imagination.

What are you feeling grateful for today?



Playlist:
Best Day of My Life - American Authors
For The Girl - The Fratellis (video: Prancercise)
Wanna Mashup - Highway (video:  Wellfleet's Twerking Snow Bears)
Where I Belong - Nine Lashes (video:  Random Acts of Kindness)
I'm Your Sacrifice - Ozark Henry feat. Amaryllis Uitterlinden
Hope - New Politics
Wake Me Up (Avicii Cover) - Red Hot Chili Peppers (Bagpipes!!)
Holding Out for a Hero - Euro Dance Mix (video:  Luka's Imagination)
Love Me Again - John Newman (video:  Being Present for Family)
Little Lion Man - Mumford and Sons
Poseidon - Sean Tyas Remix (video:  JFK's Most Inspiring Speeches)
Loud and Proud - Blasterjaxx and Billy the Kit
Cooldown:
God's Counting On Me, God's Counting on You - Pete Seeger
This Is Water - David Foster Wallace (The. Best. Speech. Ever.)

I structured the ride as a countdown... 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

First 10 minutes:  Warm-Up and Standing Climb
9 minutes:  Running on Hill (15, 30, 45, 60, 45, 30, 15 second runs w/breaks in between)
8 minutes:  Seated Climb
7 minutes:  Seated Spin Ups that begin out of the saddle (again, 15, 30, 45, 60 seconds and descend)
6 minutes:  Standing Climb
5 minutes:  Running on Hill
4 minutes:  Seated Climb
3 minutes:  Spin Ups (10, 20, 30 seconds)
2 minutes:  Standing Climb
1 minute:   Running on Hill for full minute

I feel that my whole life is a contribution. 
- A quote from Pete Seeger who taught us about the power of song through his incredible music and activism.  Seeger passed away this week at the age of 94.