On this Thanksgiving day, I wanted to reflect on the positive things in my life. I feel it’s important to spell these things out because it can be easy to take one’s blessings for granted. I chose 43 things not because I felt I should have at least as many things to be grateful for as the number of years I have spent on this planet. They are in the order they popped into my head and not necessarily in order of importance.
43 Things I Am Thankful For
- The gift of Life
- My decision to move back home to be near my parents
- Living in a warmer climate after 24 frigid winters in Massachusetts
- Spending a lot of time with my Dad before he passed away last year
- Becoming closer to my mom than ever before
- My devoted, selfless, loving husband
- My sisters, brother-in-laws, niece and nephews
- The 18 years I got to spend with my cat, Hunter, who passed away October 16th
- My kitties Gwenny and Normie, their crazy antics, and their adorable vocalizations
- A safe and secure roof over my head
- Plenty of good food to eat
- The ability to pay my bills
- Never having been physically or sexually assaulted
- Growing up in a relatively safe and peaceful town
- My poor health, which motivated me to finally start taking care of myself
- Finally learning to love working out and lifting weights at the gym
- The ability and opportunity to attend college and grad school
- My sense of humor and personality, which people seem to enjoy (for the most part :D)
- Physically living closer to my family
- The encouragement and support of my friends and family who believe in me
- That I learned to love reading
- Social media that allows me to keep in touch with friends and family far and wide
- Easy travel access to New York City
- The ability to eat, sleep, walk, dress, and wash myself without assistance
- GPS/Phone capabilities that give me directions whenever I need them
- Learning to drive and getting my driver’s license
- Learning to live without a TV and cable
- Online streaming of the few shows I want to watch
- The staff at Bregman Veterinary Group for all the care they gave Hunter in the last year of his life
- My former vet who let me pick his ear about Hunter’s medical care near the end of Hunter’s life
- My EMDR therapists who helped me through some rough situations
- The ability to see and talk to friends long distance via Facetime
- Volunteering with kitties in need of forever homes
- My daily meditation routine that transformed my life
- That I can afford the medication I need in order to function as a person with fibromyalgia
- The friendly, supportive staff at the LA Fitness gym in Lake Success, NY where I work out
- Spending holidays with my family
- A home that is an oasis from the world
- The privileges that have allowed me a better life than other people and better treatment from other people
- Access to great dental care by a funny, talented, and singing dentist whose office staff puts me at ease
- Warm socks
- A cup of hot tea on a cold day
- The year 2014 that brought me writing, blogging, and more writing
I hope you’ve been inspired by my list. Go ahead! Write yours out, too.