Angels

Today I am thankful for angels. I am thankful for the ones that look over me from above...and I do believe they exist. I am thankful for the angels in disguise...that I may not always recognize. I am thankful for the angels who do a good deed for me at a moment's notice, who commit random acts of kindness, who are always thinking of others in a very quiet way, wishing nothing in return. I am thankful for the angels who just appear when I am in need.... a call from a friend, a genuine smile from a cashier, someone who stops to let me in the flow of traffic. I am thankful for all the angels in disguise who make the world a better place. by thinking of and doing for others....want to know a secret....I see through your disguises...I know who you are....

“When angels visit us, we do not hear the rustle of wings, nor feel the feathery touch of the breast of a dove; but we know their presence by the love they create in our hearts.” 

― Mary Baker Eddy

Joy

Today I am thankful for the spirit of joy...a smile, a laugh, a joke shared, an outstretched hand....a feeling of happiness amd satisfaction... feeling blessed and delighting in life. I am thankful for a spirit of joy in accomplishment, in friendship, in love and in simply enjoying this precious life we've been given.

“Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.” 

― Henri J.M. Nouwen

Thankful!!

Today I am thankful for the spirit of gratitude....for being thankful for all the blessings in our life. I am thankful that even through the difficult times....I am able to see that I am blessed with the riches in life that are truly important. I am thankful for those people in life that truly give thanks for what they have instead of only asking for more.
I am thankful fo so much in life...but always, I am most grateful for the people I have been blessed with. A Happy Thanksgiving to all the blessings in my life!! Amidst the feast and the family, that I pray you are blessed with today, take a moment to be thankful for the true riches in your life!!

We had a wonderful day today.  I know everyone thinks they have the best family ever...but, really....I do!  So blessed!!

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” 

~ Thornton Wilder

People who fill my days

Today I am thankful for all the people that have filled my days. I am a people person...I love and believe in the beauty and promise in them, in their ability to do the right thing, in their potential to be...and do...the extraordinary. Yet that doesn't mean that I love all people every minute of the day. There are some people I get frustrated with, there are some that I get angry with, there are times that I just don't understand them and there are people I just don't really like. But that despite the fact that I am not able to live in perfect harmony with ALL people, I am deeply thankful for the people in my life. I am thankful for the people that have believed in me....but also for those who haven't, they have forced me to believe in myself. I am thankful for the people who have supported me, but also those that haven't...they have forced me to call upon an inner strength that I didn't know I possessed. I am thankful for the people that surround me with joy, and also those that haven't...they have shown me that the deepest joy comes from within. Everyone in my life has affected me in some way, I have learned and grown from each. Sometimes the lessons have been joyful...sometimes painful. That is life. There are some people that I have had to walk away from...because the relationship was unhealthy. There are some people that I will never let go of because of all the good they have brought. Whether you are a close friend from past or present, a coworker, neighbor, facebook friend..... acquaintance. I am thankful for you and all that you are and all that you strive to be and all that you do to make this world a better place....and my world a better place. Happy Thanksgiving!

“You know that place between sleeping and awake, that place where you can still remember dreaming? That's where I'll always think of you.” 

~ J.M. Barrie

Accomplishment

Today I am thankful for accomplishment and productivity. it's a good and (and today for me.... exhausting) feeling to sit back and review your day and feel that you have crossed some things off that to do list... To know that you have moved forward in a direction of your choosing. I have been to work. Pine Bush...where I hope to never travel again...and back, have baked a pumpkin chiffon pies and 2 cheesecakes. My bed never looked so good. But I am thankful for all I have accomplished this day.

“Times of great calamity and confusion have been productive for the greatest minds. The purest ore is produced from the hottest furnace. The brightest thunder-bolt is elicited from the darkest storm.” 

~ Charles Caleb Colton

Challenges

Today I am thankful for the things that challenge me. I do not welcome challenges, they overwhelm me and suddenly I feel incompetent. I am not always grateful when being challenged. When I get past that knee-jerk reaction and try to problem solve.... I usually achieve some measure of success, but when there is no success, there was still knowledge gained. I always look back and am thankful for the growth it created in me. Life is constantly evolving, we are constantly evolving....and I am thankful for the challenges that keep me moving and growing in harmony with life....forcing me out of complacency and pushing me to keep being a better me.

“The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.” 

~ Randy Pausch

Forgiveness

Today I am thankful for forgiveness. I value it in others and try to cultivate it in myself. I am thankful for those that choose to let it go and courageously move forward leaving the past behind. I am thankful for forgiveness from my God for the sins that all we all commit, for forgiveness from people that I have wronged. with or without intention. I am thankful for forgiveness for any hurt that I have caused. for the forgiveness I ask for and the forgiveness that I don't. I am thankful for the forgiveness from myself...which , for me, is the most difficult forgiveness to ask for and give. I am thankful for the will to forgive, and the knowledge that true forgiveness is a process that takes time. I am thankful for the people I've forgiven and who have forgiven me...we are better people for moving forward in love to a new and brighter tomorrow.

“The willingness to forgive is a sign of spiritual and emotional maturity. It is one of the great virtues to which we all should aspire. Imagine a world filled with individuals willing both to apologize and to accept an apology. Is there any problem that could not be solved among people who possessed the humility and largeness of spirit and soul to do either -- or both -- when needed?” 

~ Gordon B. Hinckley

Seeing

Today I am thankful for seeing; for being able to see and appreciate all the beauty that surrounds us, for being able to see past the annoying little details and see the big picture. I am thankful to be able to look into someone's eyes and see the beauty that lies inside. I give thanks for looking foward to our hopes and dreams, so that we may head in the right direction. I am thankful for those that are able to see where there is need, so that we can give and share and for being able to see all that we are blessed with, so that we may be filled with thanks. I give thanks for having a vision to walk toward and for insight to understand all that can not be seen.

“After all, the true seeing is within.” 

~ George Eliot

Difference

Today I am thankful for our differences....which sometimes make the world harsh and frustrating and confusing and at war....but the rainbow wouldn't be so wondrous with just one color...and I am thankful for everyone who embraces and accepts and learns to deal with our differences.

“I want there to be a place in the world where people can engage in one another’s differences in a way that is redemptive, full of hope and possibility. Not this “In order to love you, I must make you something else”. That’s what domination is all about, that in order to be close to you, I must possess you, remake and recast you.” 

~ bell hooks

Peace

Today I am thankful for peace......peaceful times, being at peace with the people and relationships in life, being at peace with who and where we are in life, being a peacemaker, keeping the peace...despite all the drama that is always around you. I am thankful that though there are struggles in my life, I have been blessed with a good measure of peace.


What is peace to you? I don't think about peace on a daily basis.  I get up I go through the day...there are things that  bring me joy, things that upset me, things that cause me anxiety....and then I pass out from exhaustion and do it again....and I don't often sit and think about the peacefulness I have in my life.  I don't think about going home to a house where I am safe...with a teenage son who can be a handful, but loves me and usually tries to be a good person.  Home to three cats who think they own the place...and are always sleeping where I need to be walking or sitting.  Home to a spirited puppy who is so loud and rambunctious.  Home to visiting daughters with hearts made of music and gold.

I don't think about it at work with great people or at the grocery store or at church or on the way to my Mom's.  Sometimes when I see a sunset, or a hot air balloon...or I walk down to the pond or sit alone in the darkness, I ponder where I am in life and where I have been.  At those times I realize that I have made peace with some of the mistakes made in the past.  I realize I am at peace, in a peaceful place...and then I move on.  I try to be full of gratitude...but I don't spend a lot of time being thankful for peace...because, I guess I just take it for granted.

I take it for granted until today, when my little community is shocked by the death of a family; a father and two sons....one a classmate of my son, and another family member at large.  I have no idea what the story is, what events transpired to bring them to this awful end....but I know there has been no peace for them in the last 24 hours, and if there was a family shooting such as this...I wonder if there may have been no peace...in some degree for quite some time.  Suddenly, I am thankful for the peace in my life.  I am thankful for the quiet, calm in which I do not fear for my life...or that of my family.

I believe that an event as horrific as what has transpired in my little town this morning...is the culmination of a great deal of turmoil and unrest for this family.  I pray for all that they have endured.  I cry for two young boys who died too soon, for reasons that probably did not involve them...in a most frightening way.  For those who were ripped from this life, by the violent hands of another...I pray that they are finally at peace.  For the one who is still scared and running....I pray for the end to her fear and turmoil....I pray for her peace.

It is easy to be disillusioned in this country.......there is so much we can and should be doing better.  But tonight, I am thankful that I live in a peaceful and safe place. I am thankful that I am not living in a country at war.

Tonight I am thankful for my little life, my little corner of the world....in which there are struggles...but in which I am blessed with an existence that is full of peace.

“Peace is more than the absence of war. Peace is accord. Harmony.”

~ Laini Taylor

Encouragement

Today I am thankful for the spirit of encouragement. A word of encouragement can make such a difference. It revives those who are weary, it is that extra voice saying 'you can do this, this can be done'. It helps breathe life back into those who have almost given up, it is full of possibility and joy and yes!! It is kindness and hope. I am thankful today for all those who have encouraged me, and continue to, when the path seems long and bumpy with no end in sight.

My three biggest encouragers....on a day when we all needed a little encouragement!!

“Encouragement from any source is like a drop of rain upon a parched desert. Thanks to all the many others who rained on me when I needed it, and even when I foolishly thought I didn't."

~ Claire Gillian

Listening

Today I am thankful for listening...listening to the sounds around us...the sounds of our everyday world, the sounds of laughter, the sounds of children, the sounds of silence, the sounds of music.... I am thankful for listening to what someone has to say....and truly hearing... an explanation, a story, an apology, a belief, a sadness, a joy. I am thankful for listening and hearing a familiar voice, a favorite song, good advice, inspirational words, a greeting, words of endearment..... and by listening to all of this, hearing the beating of another heart.

This weekend was a ridiculously crazy weekend in which I feel like I traveled the whole of New York State.  I didn't...and although I was on the move....literally...all weekend, there is something about a long car ride that is conducive to sitting still and listening to what other people in the car have to say.  I've had some really good talks with my kids on car rides.  There is one other place, that for some reason, seems to be a good place to have a serious chat with my kids....but let's not talk about that right now.  I had chances at various times...during various long car rides to chat with each of my kids...listen to what they had to say..what was irritating them, or making them happy or worrying them.  I listened to their plans, hopes, dreamsm, jokes.  I am thankful for that time...where I was forced to just sit and listen to them.  It is so important to just listen to other people...to know who they are, where they are...if you want to have a relationship with them.  If we had all been home all weekend...not sure if all those talks would have happened...some of them would have for sure...but maybe not all of them.  I am thankful for all of those times where I listened...or they did.

I wasn't at work yesterday, as I was still driving....and talking and listening ....home from my crazy traveling weekend.  Today I went in late.  I wasn't feeling that great, and may not have gone in at all.  But there was a birthday that needed to be celebrated, and I had made the cake.  So I went.

This year I have a new group of students...most of them starting in the summer.  There is always a period, where we begin the process of developing our relationship...The staff with each other, the staff with the kids, the kids with each other.  There are a couple of girls in my class...one doesn't really like to give me the time of day, at times.  The other, in the beginning, just seemed unhappy often.  So, I set on this mission, to gain their trust and show them that I am there for them.  I have tried to listen to them...to what makes them happy, what makes them sad, what makes them turn their head in my direction.  I have a great class.  I LOVE my staff and my students.  I am so lucky to have them...and they make the day worthwhile every day.  I have a lot on my plate there...things I need to do, get done....and sometimes when I go home, I wondered if I listened enough to whoever needed me to listen...have I done what I could, what I should for them? That is always my #1 priority.

Today when I arrived, neither of those two girls were in the classroom.  When they returned, they took one look at me and first one...and then the other...started squealing and smiling  and laughing...because I was there.  Imagine that.  That was music to my ears.  They know now...that I listen to them.  They know what to expect of me.  They know what goofy, silly things I am going to try to do....to show them that I am there and I care....and I will always listen.

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” 

~ Stephen R. Covey

   

Home

Today I am thankful for home....a place of refuge, a familiar, comfortable, messy place to return to after your travels, a place that holds people and pets and paraphernalia that you love, a place that brings you peace and joy. A place that has seen laughter, tears, worry, gratitude....a place where you enjoy the people in your life and where you rest and renew for another day's journey out into the world beyond

It has been a long weekend...and even though I am tired and I am having one of those things-are-not-going-my-way experiences...I am so glad to be home!

“The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.” 

~ Maya Angelou

Friends

Today I am thankful for the friends that grace my life...new friends, old friends, friends down the road that I wish I saw more of, co workers, facebook friends. All of you have added something special to my life that cannot be replaced. We are all connected. We are meant to be there for one another...to laugh and cry with each other, support and hold each other... We enrich each others lives by what we can share. We are meant to  be helped up and lifted up by others, and to help and lift up others.  We are meant to be active in each others lives.  I am so thankful for the friends who have been active in my life.

It has been a crazy weekend full of traveling and events and a little stress to add to the fun.  I wrote my thank you status this morning..,,,and as we ran through the day I wasn't sure what photo to post with it.  I am constantly thankful for the many friends that grace our life.  Friends have always been so important to us and we saw a bunch of old friends today.   But in the end, I twisted  the arm of a friend who enhanced our Aida experience by joining us and then later in the day proved himself a hero once again by putting on his superhero cape and coming to the rescue of those in need.  I am thankful that we have been blessed with such amazing friends.. Their existence in the world is constant reassurance of the good that exists in this world.

 "Never leave a friend behind. Friends are all we have to    get us through this life--and they are the only things from this world that we could hope to see in the next."

                                ~ Dean Koontz

Life

Today I am thankful for my life...the good and bad...it has brought me to who and where I am today. I am truly blessed by all the characters in this comedy/drama/adventure that is my life. I am thankful for a full and busy life that is sometimes overwhelming, often confusing, frequently exhausting....but which, most days, I wouldn't trade! I know there will be some cloudy days, as well as sunshine, ahead. I pray I can always see and be thankful for all the silver linings.

Busy day...back and forth to Oswego in one day.  We saw Alyssa dance in a dance she choreographed.  We are so proud of her.  Now, for a few brief hours, I once again enjoy all 3 children under one roof.  Tomorrow more busy plans.  Life gets crazy at times like these...it's busy...but it's a good busy.  Life can be wonderful!! Enjoy the ride!!

“I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I needed to be.” 

~ Douglas Adams

My Children

Today I am thankful for my children. The one thing I always wanted most was to be a mom. I have always said that if I could have designed each one of them...I could not have created such perfect beings as my children. Of course, I said that when they were sweet babies....when the teenage years hit...I sometimes found a few flaws. I am thrilled to watch them grow and blossom and they inspire me to grow as well...actually it's kind of a sink or swim situation....I need to grow and learn to keep up with them. They are beautiful, funny (if only you all knew....) responsible, creative, smart and loving people....and I am proud to think I have had some little part in their becoming exactly who they are and were meant to be! I love you Cara, Alyssa and Alex

“Accept the children the way we accept trees—with gratitude, because they are a blessing—but do not have expectations or desires. You don’t expect trees to change, you love them as they are.”

~ Isabelle Allende

Music

Today I am thankful for the girt of music; which understands me consoles me and celebrates with me as no one else can.  I am thankful for music....made by instrument or voice, professional or amateur, one or many, young or old,.....be it loud or soft, fast or slow.  I am thankful for the people in my life who make music....on a stage, on a field, at the altar,  in the shower, in the hallway.....  Every note possesses a beauty and spirit that can never be captured again and I am richer for having been a part of it.

"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes.  "A magic beyond all we do here!"

~ J.K. Rowling

Being Connected

Today I am thankful for being connected....to people, to life, to ideals, to dreams, to places....there are days when it inspires me and days when I curse it, days when I am tired....but we all need each other, no one can go it alone and it's that love and support and being part of something.....and someone that gives life it's meaning


We were not put on this earth alone.  The true joy of living is in the connections we develop.  It is those connections that give richness and meaning to life...it is those connections that bring us joy and love and a whole array of other emotions.  It isn't always easy.  Sometimes it's difficult to maintain connections...difficult to hold onto each other.  But I think we need to make it a priority in our life.  We need to remind ourselves that it isn't all about what makes life better for us...but what makes life better for those we are connected to....and when life is better for them, it will, in turn, be better for us

My connections....to the dreams I have, to what I believe in, to special places.....and most importantly, to some amazing people are what make life good and beautiful and the reason I get up every day and put one foot in front of the other.  My connections are the meaning of my life.

"We're all wonderful, beautiful wrecks.  That's what connects us--that we're all broken, all beautifully imperfect."

~Emilio Estevez

Shelter from the storms of life

Today I am thankful for shelter from the storms of life...a warm house on a could snowy day, cuddling in a warm blanket with hot chocolate, a smile from a friend, an encoiuraging hand to help you up, loving arms to hold you, someone to make you laugh, a set of eyes that meet yours and just know, someone nearby who loves you and believes in you.....until you are ready to brave the cold cruel world and face it once again.


Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a fan of winter or snow or cold or dark...none of it...nope, not in the least little bit.  I used to make the kids sing "I'm dreaming of a green Christmas....",  There is nothing at all lovely or peaceful or romantic about it....I just have to grin and bear it and hope it passes soon.  So, you might imagine that I was not super thrilled to the sight I woke up to this morning.  Luckily, when I got to work, there was no sign of snow at all......and that was the end of that, for now.  I know it's coming, I know it's around the corner and I am trying to brace myself for it.  But it does make me thankful that I have a home and  heat and a safe place to provide shelter from the elements.

Life can at times, be cold and snowy and dark....and at those times we need to look for shelter.  It is there.  We need to be that shelter for others when they need it.  That is part of what it means to be human, I think.  It means not only thinking of our own comfort...but thinking of others and doing what we can to help in their time of need.  I am thankful to all those that have provided shelter to me when I was in need.  I pray that I will be able to see others in need and offer them the shelter they seek.

"When you try your best but you don't succeed

What you get what you want but not what you need

When you feel so tired but you can't sleep

Stuck in reverse

When the tears come streaming down your face

When you lose something you can't replace

When you love someone but it goes to waste

Could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home

And ignite your bones

And I will try to fix you"

~ Christopher Martin, Guy Berryman, Johnny Buckland and Will Champion

All who have sacrificed for others

Today I am thankful for all who have sacrificed for others.  I am thankful for those who have sacrificed for their country, by leaving their loved ones, traveling great distances, enduring conditions I could not imagine and sometimes sacrificing their lives.  I am thankful for people who have sacrificed for the greater good, whether that be a group of people or an ideal or the improvement of our world.  I am thankful for the families of those that sacrifice for others, for their sacrifice is great.  Whether military personnel, missionary, volunteer or family member....I am thankful for you and all you have sacrificed.....

"Sometimes when you sacrifice something precious, you're not really losing it.  You're just passing it on to someone else."

~ Mitch Albom 

People and Places that lighten the spirit

"Today I am thankful for the people and places that lighten the spirit.....practical jokes at work, sharing little jokes over the world wide web. enjoying dinner or a movie with friends or family, a shared laugh with a new friend or board games with cousins.  I am thankful for watching a play or a musical, especially if you know someone in the cast; playing and bonding with precious pets, talking to a child, a walk on the beach or just being by the water, heart to heart talks with friends, time to play with whatever leaves you feeling satisfied or happy"


Isn't that what it's all about? Lightnening each other's spirit?  The way is long and hard.  We need to help each other over the rough spots.  We need to create joy around us to give each other strength to keep moving forward.  I think those are the real times after all....the times when we relax, let down our guard for a moment...when we shed the pretenses and anxieties and just sit back and allow ourselves to be who we are, and to enjoy the  simple joys of  being alive.... with those we love.

"Sometimes,' said Pooh, 'the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."

~ A. A. Milne

Rest

Today I am thankful for rest, for the pause that refreshes.....I don't tend to do the rest thing as much as I should....or want.  I am thankful for sleeping in, for getting to sleep early, for laying in front of the TV.  I am thankful for unscheduled time....the down time, the times of relaxation and pushing away the to-do list.  I am thankful for a day sitting by the water, or on my back deck or watching a movie with my children or in front of a shimmering Christmas tree....to just rest, reflect, re-energixe and recharge.


Life is busy.  There is work to be done. bills to be paid, household chores to catch up on.  I go running from one responsibility to another...and often fall into bed exhausted at the end of each day, just to arise too early the next morning to start the whole vicious cycle again.  But there is a time to slow down, and rest and be still so that you can regain some of the pieces of yourself that you have misplaced along the way.

"Most of the things we need to be most fully alive never come in busyness.  They grow in rest."

~  Mark Buchanan

Time

Today I am thankful for the gift of time; time to get things done.....to prepare, to get caught up.  I am thankful for time to relax, to enjoy, for time spent with family and friends, for time to be thankful, time to pray, meditate, renew.  I am thankful to find the time to be still, time to rest, time to remember, time to dream. time to reflect, time to live, love and laugh.

At this very moment...I am thinking it's time to go to bed.  But I will stay up for a few moments to complete a few last minute chores.  I am tired after a long day,  but I have been given the gift of time and I have been inspired to take a little of that time to finish this.

I have been given the gift of time today.  I had a day to catch up on planning I needed to do.  I didn't finish...but I got a lot done, and am feeling inspired to keep going this weekend.  I have been given the gift of time this weekend...an extra day.  But I will not spend the whole thing working.  There will be some sleeping in ....and some time spent with this girl.  All she wants to do is spend time with us, and so often as we run through the week, she is the one whose wagging tail gets pushed aside, other things take priority.  But this weekend, we will play and we will sit...and she will get a little extra attention.  She always gives us her time...if she had her way...she would spend every second of her day just following us around, making sure we are ok, protecting us from the food processor and the mixer.

The gift of time is such a precious gift...and I am thankful for the extra share of it I have received.  I pray that I spend it wisely.

"Time slips. Days pass. Years fade. Life ends.  And what we came to do on earth must be done while there is time!"

~ Milan Jed

Hope

Today I am thankful for hope....for looking to the future with anticipation, for expecting miracles, for looking forward to new beginnings, fresh starts, for trusting the possibilities, for embracing the yes and all that is good.....for believing in what tomorrow will bring, for having faith that the sun will once again rise....and shine it's light on us.


The hour is late...and I still have a few tasks to do before I fall into bed, so I will just say this... There have been times in my life, when I had lost my hope.  I was in a rough place and I didn't see my way out.  I have also experienced times when hope was restored, when hope is present.  Maybe being hopeful has a little to do with faith...maybe it is intertwined with prayer.  But I know, that when I am hopeful, when my thoughts focus on the maybe and the possibly.....it just makes life a better place to be.....for me and all those around me.  When I am hopeless...I become like a weight...pulling myself down, pulling everyone else down also.

So I will always hope for what is good and noble and beautiful...and what sometimes may seem a tad impossible.  Maybe everything I hope for will not be realized...but I just know that by keeping hope in my heart, life feels better, life is better, I am better.  Growth becomes possible...and.... some hopes and dreams will come true.  Maybe, just maybe....wishing and hoping really can make it so....

"Listen to the mustn'ts, child.  Listen to the don'ts.  Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the wont's.  Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me...Anything can happen, child.  Anything can be."

~ Shel Silverstein 

Laughter

Today I am thankful for the gift of laughter.....for being able to look at yourself, at the world, and for awhile....see the humor and not take it all so seriously.  I am thankful for the gift of laughter....as it lightens my heart, connects me to people, creates a bond with loved ones, adds a glimmer of light to the darkness and cleanses my soul.


I am so very lucky to spend my days with people who know how to laugh, make me laugh, and laugh with me.... and often at me.  It really makes time go by so much faster when you get to spend it with people who you can laugh and joke and enjoy life with.  I can't imagine life any other way...that is the family I come from...a lot of stories and joking, silly antics....  Sometimes...almost too much, because just try to have a serious conversation with one of my brothers...it can almost be maddening at times.  I guess that is part of my wiring, the need to laugh and create entertainment and and laughter in my environment.  My kids and my niece and nephew alsolove to laugh and truly value anyone with a good sense of humor....anyone that can make them laugh.  They each have their own brand of humor...but we are all wacky....and there aren't too many dull moments.

Laughter....the ability to laugh,  make others laugh and share laughter is truly a gift,  it enriches my life and the lives of those around me.  I value people's ability to laugh...at themselves, at life, to take a joke, to be silly, goofy, punchy and enjoy this life and the people in it while we have it.

"Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can; all of them make me laugh."

~  W. H. Auden

Heroes

Today I am thankful for heroes that show up to save the day.....that show up just in the nick of time to save you from peril or save your day from certain disaster.  I am thankful for the heroes that take the time to be there, who think of others before themselves, who answer calls for help....who save your day in little ways that mean so much.  I am thankful for the heroes, that by their deeds of goodness....breathe light and hope back into your soul and leave you with renewed belief....in love and friendship and the human race.


This photo is Cara's.  These are some of her friends from college days.  She has kept in touch with some of them...and I am very glad.  I didn't really know them all that well...I baked for them...and I earned a couple of facebook friends in the process...which is always a thrill for an old lady like me.  I am glad she kept in touch with them...because they are good people.....and leaving the world in their hands seems like a safe thing to do.

 I am especially glad, because last night, Cara was in a little situation...and two of these girls who happened to live in the city came to the rescue.  I am not going to go into the gory details, but suffice it to say, that Cara was stranded in the NYC  last night and she wasn't sure how she was going to get home until her friends came to her rescue.  They saved her life, relatively speaking, they saved me a trip to the city...which was going to have to be the next step.  Don't fear Cara wasn't in harm's way, but she did have a stressful situation on her hands.   Cara is relatively new to the metropolitan area, and she has met a couple of people here and there...but really doesn't have any good friends to call in case of emergency.  And this was an emergency.  Although Cara keeps in touch with these friends, they hadn't seen each other in months....but they still came to her rescue...and I am forever indebted.  They may not have been the kind of superhero that throws themselves in front of a speeding bullet...but they gave the help that was needed.  And they eased my worried mom's heart, and Cara made it home safe and sound last night.   And I will forever be indebted to them!!

Heroes are people who put someone else first for a few moments...and themselves second...and that is such an honorable and noble thing to do.  It is something we should all strive for...to try to be a hero in someone's life...someone's day.  There are heroes that save our days in little ways that can mean so much....a smile, a word of encouragement, a laugh.  Sometimes their very presence in your life just saves your day.  Oh there are grand and glorious gestures...feats of bravery.... and there are those who are continually swooping in and saving you from certain disaster.   We have been so lucky to have so many heroes in our life.  So many who have blown in to save our days...and save our souls.  Tonight I am giving thanks for each and every one.  I pray that I can pay it forward and accomplish all kinds of heroic acts....and maybe if I'm lucky, I can be their hero right back!!

"A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself."

~ Joseph Campbell

Light

Today I am thankful for the light in my life and those who share it with me; a sunny sky, a glimmer of light in the darkness, the twinkle in an eye, a glowing smile, lightness of spirit, bright laughter.  I give thanks for the moon brightening up the night sky, dancing candlelight, a warm fire shared with friends, the light of understanding, the light of hope in a heart, the beauty shining from a soul and the warmth of love shared.


The end of daylight savings time is the worst day of the year for me.  Others may be looking for that lost hour of sleep...but I mourn the loss of the light.  I have come to some measure of peace with the dark months, I have found that they exist to slow you down, and encourage you to rest and relax for a little bit....to regain your strength for the rest of the year.

I am always searching for the light...and at this time of the year, I look for it in the hearts and smiles of the people that inhabit my days.  These sources of light...the light that come from within are always the brightest, always the warmest.   I pray that I can light the way for someone once in a while when they are feeling cold and  the way looks dark.  We must be the light to light each others way when all looks dark and bleak.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

~ Martin Luther King Jr.

In Remembrance

Today I am thankful for all those who have gone before and now no longer walk this earth, but are alive in my heart and memories.  I am thankful for the time we shared, for all they taught me, for the gift of themselves they shared with me, and for all the love they gave me.  I have been blessed by having them in my life.

As we celebrated All Saints Day, I thought about the people that have been dear to us that are no longer with us.  As I look at these pictures, they bring forth so many memories...so many emotions.  I say a prayer for them all....and think of the times we had together.

"To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die."

~ Thomas Campbell

Acceptance

Today I am thankful for the spirit of acceptance......recognizing that there are people very different from ourselves, recognizing that we often don't understand each other. recognizing that we all have a different history, we come from a different perspective.....and respecting people for who they are and loving them as fellow human beings......even though we may not love them and choose them as personal friends.


Many of you who follow me on facebook, experience with me some of the frustrations of raising a son.  I have raised two daughters...but this son of mine, this teenage boy...well he just confounds me.  I don't get where he is coming from.  The things he says, the things he does, his logic...the whole experience is just like dealing with an alien life form.

There are times when Alex is extremely difficult to deal with...and I find myself truly feeling Bill Cosby's words, "I brought you in this world, and I can take you out!"  I am often wondering to myself if we are both going to come out of this alive.  But, when all is said and done, and when he finally goes to sleep...on the rare occasion that his old mother doesn't pass out before he does....I look at that almost-man looking angelic face and I know, deep down.....deep, deep,deep,deep,deep down.....he has a good heart, he is a good person, and even though the every day seems futile sometimes...I know all is not lost.

Alex is not your typical sports kid.  He is more of a computer, fix it, build-it, video game, music, drama club kind of a guy.  He had a little trouble at first in middle school....a horrible place and time....to find his people.  He did it though, found his people, found his niche....and it certainly wasn't with the sports kids from the bus...but they had history together, and I think for the most part they have all come to accept each other and respect each other for their differences.....most days.

This year, Alex met a kid in lunch...who he shares so much in common with...and he has really loved getting to know this kid and exchanging info on all the stuff they are both interested in.  I've heard quite a bit about this kid, as well as some of the kids in their little group that I often hear about.

Many Fridays, Alex and I go visit my mom, where he takes piano lessons while I run around and do things that she is not able to do anymore, and then we go and visit my aunt...who is also alone...and we go visit with her.  I certainly could do this little errand by myself.  There is no need for me to drag Alex along...with the exception of the piano lessons, which he is often not prepared for anyway.  But I think it is important for Alex to realize the importance of family and being there for family in whatever way we can...even if it is just visiting for awhile.  It is a little bit of a car ride and I find it to be a nice time to connect...to sit and chat...instead of him running to a computer and me being annoyed that he isn't helping more.  This past Friday, in just such a car ride, he was once again talking about this new kid and some cool new video information.  Then he changed gears for a moment.  He said that he and this new kid are a lot alike in a lot of ways, they share a lot of interests in common.  But in one way, they are very different.  He began to talk about a different boy that he has known forever...who he has gone through grade school, scouts, the bus with...this boy is a little different, and to be honest, Alex gets annoyed by him...but I know by the stories he has told through the years...that Alex always has stood up for this boy when he was being bothered on the bus, and this boy seems to have respected Alex...because he will listen to Alex when no one else is getting through.  Alex was telling me how his new friend can't stand this boy that he's known forever, he has no tolerance for him....just hates him.   That is where the difference lies.  Because although Alex finds this boy to be annoying, he tries in his own Alex way, to show him the right way to act...but accepts him for who he is....and just can't bring himself to hate him or be mean to him....and in fact defends him.

And it's at moments like this....that I know all is not lost...inside this alien life form, beats a caring human heart.  It's at moments like this I feel like I must be doing something right.

There are people out there who are so different that we just can't understand who they are and where they come from.  We just simply don't understand their being..  We can find no common ground.  That's ok.  We don't have to hold hands and go through life side by side....that probably wouldn't end well.  But what we do have to do is accept who they are and love them as the fellow human they are.  They have as much a right to be here as you and I.  Accept. Respect.  Allow them to be who they are.....with love.

"The moment that judgement stops through acceptance of what it is, you are free of the mind.  You have made room for love, for joy, for peace."

~ Eckhart Tolle

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude

Today I am thankful for all the people whose paths have crossed mine.  Whether classmate, coworker, neighbor, mentor, family, friend...they have all impacted me in some way and contributed to who I am at this moment.  All of these people have been my role models.  I have watched and seen who I want to be, who I don't.  I am thankful for the lessons they have taught me, though some may have been painful...diversity, acceptance, the value in not judging a book by it's cover.  I am so grateful to those that have taught me that everyone has a story, a truth....and something worth sharing.

In November, it is my practice to post as my status each day, something that I am thankful for.  Today I posted the paragraph above.  I have always believed in giving thanks  for my blessings.  I have never hesitated to tell people that I care for them.  Life is short, and I have learned that if you don't grab your opportunities to show love now....they may not present themselves later.  In the beginning of the month, my daughter Cara shared a link on facebook that I just loved....and it got me thinking about being thankful....and thanking people.

Here is the link...I strongly urge you to pause here....and go spend the next 7 minutes or so watching it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHv6vTKD6lg

So I started thinking about how important the attitude of gratitude is.  I started thinking about all the wonderful people I am so fortunate to have in my life.  This November, in addition to writing something that I am thankful for on my facebook status and further talking about it here, I have decided to write a thank you letter each day to someone in my life.  I don't have it planned out.  I haven't thought about this much in advance...other than I am going to do it...that it is important to do it.   I am so grateful for so many people who have and do make a difference in my life.  Maybe they know how I feel, how grateful I am for their presence on the earth...but maybe they don't.  I think it's important to let them know.  30 days, 30 letters, 30 amazing people.   There are so many more amazing people in my life...but I will randomly write to whoever comes to mind.

I challenge you to all join me! It doesn't have to be a great literary work...maybe it will just be a short note, an email or facebook message, or maybe you will write it out the old fashioned way and send it snail mail.  The important thing is that you take a moment of each day to thank someone for all they have been to you.  Maybe it is a family member, that we tend to take for granted, an old friend that you have always been able to count on, a new friend, a neighbor, a coworker....maybe there is someone whom you admire and who has inspired you.....the possibilities are endless!!  Don't know how to start it?  Just tell them I twisted your arm.  Won't you join me??  I would love to know that I have some company in this little endeavor of mine...so if you want to leave me a message or a comment telling me you are  joining me, that would be great....but you don't have to.  You can do it quietly....but I urge you to take some time out of each day and let someone know that you just couldn't imagine this life without them in it.

" We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives."

~ John F. Kennedy