Yes, umpteen is a word. I looked it up. Umpteen means a very large number of. That seems fitting as a description of the many things that I am thankful for. Firstly, I am thankful that I can end a sentence with a preposition, and yet no grammer police will be knocking on my door shaming me. I guess they haven't found me yet. But there are many many more...umpteen, in fact... things that I am thankful for. Thanksgiving Day, celebrated in America on the 4th Thursday in November, is a wonderful time to reflect.
Family. They say you can pick your friends but you can’t pick your family. Well, if I had the opportunity to pick family members, I would have picked my guys. The family that I have. Well, most of them, anyway. All the great people, the oddballs, the people who remind me of me, the supportive crew that is tied through genetics and DNA, and all that good stuff.
I am thankful for my familly.
Rob, the hubby. Turns out, in fact, I did pick one member of my family – my husband Rob. That is to say, many many years ago I said yes when he popped the question on a bench at The Battery in Charleston, SC. We got married in the mid 80s, and are still going strong. Nearing 40 years of wedded bliss. But, wait, the definition of bliss is perfect happiness; great joy. So, maybe not bliss, but definitely a rip-roaring good time. When the kids were very young, I was trying to explain to them that Rob and I did not know each other when we were kids. That we had separate lives with our own families, until we met each other in college. One tiny daughter uttered a line that has stayed in our catch-phrase lineup for decades. She said, “Mom, if you hadn’t met Daddy in college, would we even KNOW Daddy??” Kids say the darndest things. Anyway, Rob has stood by my side and put up with my shenanigans for a long, long time. I am grateful for that.
I am thankful for my husband Rob.
Friends. I have the best friends. THE BEST. There are so many stories of so many adventures and so many experiences that we have shared. We have laughed again and again. We have held each others’ hands and encouraged one another. Friends have gotten us through the tough times and celebrated the special times. I don’t know what I would do without my friends.
I am thankful for my friends.
It's hard to list all the things in my life that I am thankful for, and I am sure that I will leave out a few things and later say, "How in the world did I forget to mention that???" So, don't judge me or chastise me for things that are missing from my list. And don't, please don't, put words into my mouth, negatively assuming that because I like THIS, then I must be anti-THAT. People seem to follow that logic way too often nowadays. So, I'm asking you to just read my list and take it for what it's worth. (Or don't. I'm not in charge of you.) Then take a minute to consider your own list of things that you are thankful for. It might be harder to verbalize than it sounds.
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I Am Thankful For:
Good Health. It makes all the difference in how I experience life. This year, corrective eye surgery was a game-changer.
Nature at its finest, from giant vistas to tiny flower buds.
Color. Yep, color. Color brings life to nature, to art, to our homes, to our lives. Just a splash of color can please the eye, enflame the spirit, calm the soul. At least, it can for me.
Sweet, goofy pets. They brighten my days and love me without condition. Even though they require a lot of work and a good measure of patience.
Animals and wildlife. All the other inhabitants of Earth. What amazing creatures they are. Except, of course, for cockroaches and possums. I am not thankful for them.
Food, Glorious Food. Whether the flavors are familiar or surprising.
Music of all kinds. As Ludwig van Beethoven said, "Music can change the world.”
Interesting destinations and travel excursions. I love love love to travel to fascinating places. I am thankful for those trips and for my sticker book in which I commemorate many of those experiences.
Laughter. Not a day goes by that I don't find a way to stimulate the heart, lungs, and muscles through a good solid dose of laughter. Author e.e. cummings concurs: "The most wasted of all days is one without laughter."
In no particular order: Imagination. Curiosity. Kindness. Bravery.
Life's many abundances. A roof over my head, clothes on my back. Other conveniences that ease the burdens of life.
Warm fuzzy socks. Soft cozy blankets. A nice warm cup of tea.
Those some of the things that I am thankful for.
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Following Christian tradition, I thank God. I thank my loved ones. I thank people that I don't know whose efforts improve and embellish my life beyond words. The workers, the thinkers, the innovators, the peace-makers. I am thankful for them all.
I am thankful for you, my online community, for always being there, for supporting me, and for helping me express myself. I appreciate every last one of you. Kindred spirits, people who set me straight, people who challenge me, people who share their lives with me. It's all quite remarkable.
I might be saying it for the umpteenth time but, Thank You. Thank you very much.