Wednesday, November 14, 2012

I am very thankful...

Thanksgiving is next week.  I cannot believe it is so close for a number of reasons:
  1. It doesn't seem like it is time for the holidays, despite the fact that I have already recorded two Christmas movies.  More to follow on why I love them - I will wait to share that until after next week.
  2. It was 63 the other day and 38 today.  I'm ready for spring and am already so done with cold weather.
  3. I cannot believe it has almost been a year since my Auntie De passed away.  I miss her all the time but it does not seem like a year has passed since I last saw her.  My cousin Ann passed away two weeks later - again - it just doesn't seem like a year has gone by
  4. I cannot account for all of my time.  I stopped working in March and while I have been job hunting, I am not sure what I'm doing with all the time I've had off (aside from doing laundry and spinning and ceramics).  Eight months already?
Every year, many of us stop and think about why we are thankful, we promise ourselves (and maybe others) that we will keep the spirit of Thanksgiving throughout the year and will not forget to be thankful every day.  Then we go home from wherever we ate dinner and forget to be thankful.  I try really hard not to take any person or blessing for granted, but I know I do.

This year, I want to memorialize my blessings because I have this cool way to do that and because I want to be able to look back in case I forget what keeps me going every day.

Some people & things I am thankful for:
  • my husband - for always knowing how & when to make me laugh, for allowing me to keep searching for the right job because he knows how important my career is to me, and for bringing home dinner on Friday nights just so we can start our weekend in a fun way
  • my family (all of them) -  for putting up with all of my cooking experiments and my demands and my opinions (whether they have been requested or not) and meeting me for lunch at my favorite places
  • my friends - for going to ceramics and breakfast and lunch with me so I won't get lonesome.  Being home by myself all day can be lonely and my friends re-charge me
  • my health - I can get up every day, eat, walk, speak, see, hear, drive ... and I know how it feels to not be able to do each of these things.  I make sure to get to the gym because I can and because so many cannot.  It isn't a chore - it's a gift and a favor I do for myself
  • my faith - it sustains me and feeds my soul.  I left the faith I was raised in and chose a new one back in 2002.  I have been so much happier since I made that move
  • social media - Between Facebook & LinkedIn, I have reconnected with people I thought were lost to me forever.  Every day I love seeing folks I only knew at work or went to school with a million years ago or see only at weddings and funerals.  I love it
  • new relationships - my husband and one of his daughters have been working on strengthening their relationship and I am blessed to be a recipient of the benefits.  I never had my own children so being a stepmother was the closest I would be able to get.  I am so happy to be getting to know one of my stepdaughters and pray that soon I can get to know the other just as well.  That has really been the high point of this year for us
If you feel like whining about something small - I say to you - save it for another time (like January, when it's cold and miserable every day) - and think about everything you have.  So many have so much less than you and they manage to be happier

Best wishes for a blessing-filled Thanksgiving

xo

2 comments:

  1. So good to "read" you again! As always, it warms my soul to hear what you have to say...new relationships are the best! Love the post, love you...! xxoo

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  2. Thank you cousin. You inspired me to pick up my (pretend) pencil and get back to work. Love you xoxo

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