Thirteen Reasons to be Thankful
It seems appropriate to list reasons to be thankful today. It is a cliche, but it can't hurt. Happy Thanksgiving!
1. Family. I love my family. I've learned to appreciate them even more as I've gotten older. Today my sister wrote "I <3 U!" in the snow on my car. While I wasn't thrilled that someone wrote on my car, it was cute and made me smile.
2. Friends. I have amazing friends. I know I can count on them for help and encouragement, to challenge me to be a better person, to help me find humor in situations, and for support. I have amazing close friends, great friends, and good acquaintances. Honestly, I could call anyone from any of those groups if I was in serious trouble and count on them to be there for me. I'm fortunate to have a group like that.
3. My education. I received an excellent education in grade school and high school, and I'm receiving an excellent education in college. I've had teachers and professors that really challenge me, force me to work for my grades, help me understand the course material, and increase my love of learning.
4. Literature. Novels, plays, poems, fiction, biographies, autobiographies, short stories, I love them all. They allow me to get lost in a different world. I love discovering new authors and the way they tell a story.
5. Music. Music also allows me to get lost in a different world. If I really like a song, I stop what I'm doing and sing. Sometimes I close my eyes and just listen. Most of the time I dance to the song. Even at work. I'm sure I amuse my coworkers.
6. Colors. Life would be drab without them. Bear with me here. Have you ever gone into a room that was recently painted? Bold, vibrant colors bring life and warmth to a room. Colors can transform a person from blah to wow. I look forward to fall every year, just to watch the trees change colors. I saw one of the most beautiful trees today. Reds and oranges, so vibrant and beautiful.
7. Driving. And I suppose that this one includes cars. I love driving...assuming I'm not stuck in traffic. I wouldn't go so far as to say that it's freeing, but it does let me experience a sense of freedom. One day I'll own a convertible and drive around with the top down, music blaring, with no particular destination in mind. And since I'm dreaming, it'll be a Mustang from the 60s. Manual, not automatic. My mom used to own a baby-blue Mustang, which she managed to wreck. Hopefully I'll do better than that.
8. 24/7 Giant Eagle. I know this isn't quite as exciting as the previous 7 items, but it's true. I love 24/7 stores, especially grocery stores. I normally leave my grocery shopping to the last minute, so there have been a few nights that I've realized that I'm completely out of creamer. I can't survive without my morning coffee, so I make a mad dash to the store, and breathe a sigh of relief when I know I'll have my coffee the next morning.
9. Laughter and the fact that I'm able to laugh at myself. I'm sure there's a study somewhere that says that laughter gives you endorphins or something like that. All I know is that laughing makes me happy. I love when I laugh for 10-15 minutes straight, gasping for air, tears streaming down my face, doubled over, clutching at my stomach. It's even better when someone asks you what you were laughing about, and you have no idea.
10. Pictures. Pictures are memories, beauty, familiar sights, and special moments from my life. I love going through old pictures and reminiscing.
11. Wine, wineries, and discovering a new wine. I suppose I could say the same thing about beer, actually, but I associate "discovering new alcohol" with wine. Each wine is different. Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised; sometimes the surprise is not quite as pleasant. But I do love opening up a new bottle of wine, smelling the cork, pouring the wine into the glass, swirling it around, smelling the scents that rise from the wine, and taking the first sip. It's like a little taste of heaven.
12. Cute little babies and kids at church. While they can be quite distracting, and aren't always on their best behavior, I love seeing their wide-eyed wonder at the world. They're so curious and innocent. And who can't help falling in love with their smile?
13. Flowers. Gerber daisies. Roses, especially white roses. Irises. Sunflowers. Lilies. Orchids. Chrysanthemums. Mums. They're quite pretty and never fail to bring a smile to my face.