GIVING THANKS!

Well, the holiday season is upon us. My in-laws have arrived and soon Joel's family will be here to feast on Turkey and fixings and visit us for a few days. It is a wonderful time. Since I have been doing Weight Watchers (for next to forever), I have been trying to focus more time and energy on the meanings behind the holidays than the foods associated with them. Since Thanksgiving has always seemed to be entirely about the food and has such strong food connections, it is hard to change the focus. After all the Indians and Pilgrams ate together, isn't that the gist of the story. Of course, we all know the true reason for the holiday is to give thanks to God for the bountiful harvest. Sadly, my farming days have pretty much never happened beyond a couple failed vegetable gardens. I leave the harvest collection to Acme. Still my thoughts have been directed toward being thankful.

Quite honestly I have a lot to be thankful for and I think it is time that more time was spent on thankfulness and gratefulness, so I'm listing a few of the things I am thankful for...

1. For my family, who although scattered across the nation is kept close by e-mail and computer allowing me closer relationships with family that might have otherwise been lost to long distance.

2. For my children who are the light of my life and who bring me constant joy. Gary the quiet artistic one, always full of kindness. He is gentle, intelligent and has been the easiest child to raise into adulthood. I'm grateful that he never did drugs, got arrested, got anyone pregnant, got involved with unsavory kids, or got bad grades. He was a good kid and is a great adult. I am very proud of him. Hannah is my wild child. Full of life, giggles, and sparkling wit. She is a firecracker filled with emotion, reeling with laughter in one moment, screeching with anger the next and screaming with disappointment a few moments later. She is smart, feircly manipulative and the sweetest little darling all rolled into one. She is my baby girl and I love her dearly.

3. For my wonderful, supportive and loving husband. He is the kindest, sweetest man on earth. He takes care of me, loves me, and is so very patient with me. I am truly blessed to have found him and to have him fall in love with me.

4. For living in a time and place where I am free as a women to complain, rant and express opinions that are unpopular without fear of oppression, penalty or worse. That I am capable of supporting myself and have been afforded the opportunities in education, and employment that I have enjoyed.

5. That my father lived long enough to see me happily married and that he knew I was loved and cared for before his death.

6. That I have a circle of exceptionally caring and compassionate friends who although dispersed throughout the country are connected to me electronically and whom I can count on in good times and bad.

7. That I have always had enough.

8. That love is still the single greatest possession one can receive or give away and it is free of monetary cost but priceless to all who have it.

9. That the world is filled with kind and compassionate people who continue their good works in an effort to combat the cruelty and ignorance in the world.

10. That I have talents, passions, and skills and the time to enjoy, cultivate and participate in them.

11. That I can see a sunset, a bouquet of flowers, a beautiful blue butterfly fluttering through a field of lilac, and the fire of a oak tree in the midst of a grove of fir trees in October.

12. That I can smell the sweet clean fragrance of a tiny baby's head, the heady musty earthy odor of rotting leaves in the forest, and the gingery, spicey scent of baking ginger cookies.

13. That I can feel the softness of my cat's fur, the roughness of my husband's five o' clock shadow and the cushion of my soft pillow at night.

14. That I know the warmth of a home and it's safety and comforts. A blessing so many do not share.

15. That I have never known hunger, thirst, or severe poverty.

16. That I am here, alive and well and amazingly blessed


I hope that you all can find similar blessings in your lives. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!