Something On Thanks

“Thanks” is a small word. Some people say it often; others don’t seem to have it in their vocabulary. When November arrives, I always think about being thankful, not just on Thanksgiving Day, but all month. I don’t know why that happens, but it does. I guess that’s not a bad thing.

I cried and cried last night. It was one of those waves of grief that surprises me when I least expect it. I was thinking of my son, Alex, who died in May 2013. So, why include that in a passage about thanks? Because I am thankful to have been able to love another human being as much as I did him. He always was able to turn a negative into a positive, and he was a good teacher. I learned from him. So though I miss him terribly, I rejoice in the fact that I could love that much and it leads me to think of saying thanks for other people in my life, for the positives in my life.

I am thankful for many people: my incredibly wonderful son, Justin, his family – Amy, Alyssa, Cameron, Gracyn – all who hold a special place in my heart; for my loving husband, Rick, who is my friend and my support; for my closest friends – Corinna, Susan, Becky, Lisa, Hilda, Elena, Deb, Shirley, Louise; for old acquaintances who still come in and out of my life; and for newly acquired friends – Alicia, Tim, Pete, Kaaren, Melodie, Davina, Bob, Tina, Jesse and so many more I can’t name them all here, for Alex left his CAL Fire family behind and I’ve latched on to them. I’m thankful for my talented, caring brother, Jay, for Heather, his amazing wife, and for his children, Cherette, Jaleh, and Scott who still pop into my life from time to time though they live far away. I am thankful for my remarkable Dad, who is still active and cranky at 102 and for my dogs and cat, Hallie, Rudy, and Poncho, who fill my life with fuzzy love. I am blessed to have former students who still stay in touch; every one has contributed to my life.

I give thanks for good health, financial stability, time to pursue my passion for writing, and the determination to reach new goals. I am thankful for a sense of purpose, for tenacity, for compassion, for the ability to love, to think, and to be kind. I am thankful to be able to see the beauty in this world, and for that gift I remember my mother, Honey, who though gone now, lives on in sweet memories. Yes, I am thankful. I need not say more.

The view from my family room window.