BEING THANKFUL: MY PERSPECTIVE, 2011

My Granddaughter-in-law, via Facebook, recently challenged friends and family to post something, each day until Thanksgiving, for which they are truly thankful. It's been fun to see the similarities, interesting to see the differences of each person. Being the semi lazy person I have become since retiring, I've thought about this challenge but not posted a thing. This does not mean I am an ungrateful, why bother person, it simply means I sometimes have to get out of my 'thinking is too much work, even the simple stuff' mode, kick myself in the butt, grease up the gears in my head and put the metal to the pedal. The 'think' road can be rocky and sometimes unexpected thoughts pop up but the beauty of the memories make for a breathtaking view of what is truly important in life, if you allow yourself to look. With that in mind, I will share my thoughts on what about life gives me pause to be thankful. Using this format also means the lazy in me is still alive and kicking, for I will only have to address this once before Thanksgiving arrives.

• I am thankful for my family and friends; ALL OF THEM, living or passed on; especially because there are millions of humans on this earth who have absolutely no one in either catagory.
• I have had serious illnesses and broken bones; I am thankful for these because they have helped me to appreciate that I am more healthy than not and have been given the strength of spirit to overcome these blips and go on.
• I have felt searing sorrow and grief many times; I am thankful for these feelings because they have reminded me that I am blessed to have the ability to love and truly care.
• I have been successful and I have failed; I am grateful for both because the first gave me confidence, the second has taught me humility and given me the opportunity to become a better version of who I am.

• I have felt pure love, happiness, euphoria, joy, laughter, and silliness; rejection, depression, humility, fear, anger, hatred, physical and emotional pain. I am thankful for the experience of all these because it tells me that I have lived a life full of the diversity of just Being a Human.

Yes indeed...Life if good and I am most grateful to my Creator who gave this life, at this time, to live according to the whisperings of My soul.