I have much to be thankful and grateful for. My life has always been richly blessed, although I have not always acknowledged my many blessings. I sometimes chose to focus on small shortfalls and make them loom large.  When I would catch myself doing so, I felt great shame, because my challenges and problems were so small compared to others who had much larger challenges and seemed to be handling them much better than I. This year, I’d like to pause to reflect on things I have been grateful for throughout the year.

This year began with two people near and dear to me dealing with significant health issues, which I am thankful to report have resolved to the point where both people are feeling more able to participate in their lives again.

Here’s a random list of things I have been grateful for throughout the year:

• Detail shop mowed and vines cut
• Met my weight goal for this month
• Walter is enjoying attention
• Someone subscribed to my Essential Oil list
• Mr. L’s concert went well
• Mr. L finished spreading the mulch pile
• San Antonio grass looking good
• Beautiful weather
• Mr. L’s doctor listened to him and ordered blood tests and an x-ray (which confirmed he had pneumonia)
• Paperwork for my right knee replacement submitted
• We formed our general plan for completing the Eastern Amtrak routes
• Received a show time for my surgery
• Found a new home for the Kindle Paperwhite
• Drains cleaned at the shop
• Enjoyed seeing Dean and his son (little did we know it would the last time we would see Dean)
• Truck serviced
• Upstairs vacuumed
• Mr. L slept through the night
• Trash guys picked up a second time
• Rossie socializing well with Sapphire
• Mr. L’s X-rays were clear (pneumonia gone)
• Bushes trimmed
• Alley hedge trimmed and swept
• Mr. L’s persistence
• Sneaky is now a housecat
• Dryer is an easy fix
• Clean water
• Heat pump installation completed
• A healthy great granddaughter was born
• Tree trimmed off roof
• We brought the tractor in from the ranch
• Sapphire’s spay went well
• A good friend’s surgery resolved years of troubles
• Backyard crape myrtles are trimmed
• Mr. L’s energy returned
• Found a rotten tree base and brought the tree down where we wanted it to land
• Washer/dryer repaired
• Dishwasher
• Central heating
• New soaker hoses
• A new author for Blackbirds
• Rain
• Rossie let me pet her for a long time
• Straightened the back porch closet
• Trailer loaded for annual clean up drop off
• Free oil change
• Mr. L made a tie down for the outdoor feeder
• Dinner with a friend
• Birds are using the birdbath
• Boomer is gaining weight and looking healthier
• Walter is visiting regularly
• Zelda, Nick, and Kitten are doing well

So, yes, I am thankful for things both large and small. I’m also thankful for each of you who stopped by to give this missive a read. May you recognize the many blessings in your own lives. Feel free to share the ones that come to mind for you in comments below.