Thankfulness

Photo cred:https://www.romanticasheville.com/forest-fire

The mountains of WNC have been ablaze for the last several weeks--since Trump got elected--and for that same amount of time, I've been fighting off the feeling that the world really is burning down around me. My children haven't been able to go outside and play, because of the poor air quality, and to top it off, our oil heater broke. Winter is coming, and I'm not sure yet how we're going to make it through.

So when a good friend emailed me and another small group a list of things for which she was thankful and recommended that we all do the same, I took it to be a reminder from my higher power--stay focused on what is working and be thankful.

I took the hint and made this list:

1. Our new mattress
2. Hubby's steadfast perseverance
3. Little E's smile
4. S' good heart and strong sense of justice
5. Organization, at all levels
6. Celery juice, fresh first thing in the morning
7. Painting and redesigning our bedroom this summer
8. My mother
9. The writing group:Billie, Eben, Hubby, and Jean
10. Unexpected generosity
11. Hard won peace and happiness
12. A musician in our home (Keep playing guitar S!)
13. My new, perfect sunglasses
14. High Falls and swimming in its cold, clear water
15. Hot yoga 
16. Loving my tiny house more
17. Easy laughter between Hubby and I, old love becoming new love
18. My house filling up with friends more often 
19. Amber's green beans w/ chicken, white wine, and preserved lemons
20. Praying more regularly and sometimes having it not be about me
21. Falling asleep with my kids
22. The women in my life, their intelligence and laughter

Take a moment and do the same. Try to be as specific as possible with at least some of the items. And make generalities in others. You'll walk away uplifted, I hope. I know I did.

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