What I am Thankful For

            November plays host to Thanksgiving, and amidst the historical arguments of what the holiday was or was not about, parades filled with celebrities and questions of whether the balloons are going to be able to fly, and the Westminster Dog Show competing with football games for viewers, I find that the most important component of what this holiday is about can get lost at times.  So, I’ve decided in advance of the actual holiday to make a list of the thirty things I am most thankful for (one for each day of this month).  You will find a mixture of serious and humorous because that is the way life goes.  Here we go, in no particular order:

1)      A pony named Blondie and a puppy named Teddy.

2)     Stuffed animals for cuddling and holding onto when times get tough.

3)     Step ladders because otherwise making cranberry sauce would be extremely difficult (being only 5’2”, I need the leverage to squish the berries on the stovetop).

4)     Books.  Enough said.

5)     Area professionals who have become valued parts of my referral network, both who refer to me and whom I refer to and the clients that we all have the honor of working with.

6)     Yarn- including the sheep and alpacas who grow the wool fibers, the farmers who care for their livestock, and the artisans who craft the yarn skeins. 

7)     Also, the small yarn shops who carry the most beautiful assortment of colors, textures, and warm spirits.

8)    Family and friends.

9)     My niece and nephew who share the brightness of their smiles and the beauty of their spirits with me no matter how far away I am.

10) Computers (when they work the way they are supposed to).

11)  Trees for providing oxygen, shade, and the most beautiful fall tapestry.

12) Food and clean water

13) Chocolate.  Definitely thankful for chocolate.

14) My camera that allows me to capture memorable moments and explore the artistry of image catching.

15)  Sports- both the sports that I have played and the sports that I enjoy watching.

16) Post-it notes because I would be absolutely lost (literally and figuratively) without them.

17)  Puppets and toys and crayons and markers and coloring books- the primary tools of my trade.

18) The role models who have shaped my life along this journey and the ones who I have yet to meet.

19) Music

20) Tea.  Oh goodness, I am thankful for tea!

21) Colors- all of them!

22)Bubbles because they are beautiful and because they are one of the best tools for teaching children to breathe for relaxation and calming.

23)Learning.

24)Opportunity (even when the thought of taking it is terrifying!).

25) The beach.  The sounds the water makes; the smell of the salt air; the shells that wash up to be collected; the pebbles for tossing; and the feel of the sand.

26)My little house and the peaceful, creative feel it has.  It’s just a happy little place.

27) Travel because being in other places is an amazing adventure that provides chances to meet people and see things from a different point of view.  Travel lets you recharge.  Solo travel in particular gives you the chance to really get to know you.

28) Glass water bottles and metal straws.

29)Roses of all kinds.

30) Nature in all its glory and the animals who inhabit it.