Thanksgiving and Gratitude

It is Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving Y'all! And I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

Yesterday at work, one of the ladies from the state office sent around this quote - and gee... guess what? It was something I really needed to hear. It's a quote from Melodie Beattie and here it is:

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Yesterday, as I went about my business - leaving work early because we were allowed too :-), I made a few stops on my way to the grocery store. I popped into my favorite jewelry store. They always have a big sale Thanksgiving week and I found a nice silver pair of big hoops for Rebecca (shhh don't tell her) and also the prettiest pair of charms to hang on them made from some type of shell. I then went to Belk and bought Joshua two pairs of dress pants and two nice shirts to wear with them; a real departure from buying my son his favorite Levis... lol. Next I went into Hallmark and bought wrapping paper and lastly made it to Publix and bought some wonderful groceries for the rest of the week - I bought my favorite tarragon chicken salad and some great snacks, two bottles of wine (a Riesling and a Beaujolais), I got stuff to make dips to take to my parents for Saturday's game day... I loaded up to the tune of 120 some odd dollars all on the most indulgent stuff, things I don't typically buy, it is the holiday after all! I topped the whole shopping excursion off by stopping at Starbucks for a latte as I headed home.

As I did all this I concentrated on what was good... what was positive. I have bought Christmas presents... with money I have and I bought what I wanted to buy... and now, for the first time perhaps, when we put up the tree in December I will have gifts, wrapped and ready, to go under the tree. I bought wrapping paper from Hallmark... something I've not done in a long time because I couldn't justify spending more money on wrapping paper than necessary even though I love their paper because it's thicker and wraps better and is so pretty. I've not had the money, the resources, to splurge and this year I do.

Last night was a good night - I made potato soup - the kids and I laughed and joked... and at some point all three of them ended up reflecting on our memories and moments over the years. They remember things, little things, and it was good to hear all this. Their lives are made up of all the everyday things we've done and they have a fondness associated with that. We've been a family - a whole family - and I've given them an anchor, a foundation. They turn to me when they are hurting or happy, they respect me, and listen to me, even if it's not always what they want to hear. Somewhere along the way I've had to have done something right - don't you think? And tonight we're thinking about going to the movies...

Thanksgiving and Gratitude - it's important to reflect and concentrate on those things, especially when it's the hardest to - this is my gratitude...

• My children are happy and healthy people - my daughter is active and successful in both school and dance, she is funny and smart and beautiful inside and out - my son has entered adulthood with all the tools necessary to succeed and so now it's all up to him, he has a degree, a job, and no debt, plus he's a fine man, a gentleman.
• I have a great job... I'm productive and busy, I use my brain a lot and my people skills - there is always more to learn, more people to meet. I've been able to take my life experiences and apply them to this job.
• I have good health insurance, dental coverage and after the first of the year, vision coverage - I have more life insurance and I have a retirement plan.
• My work schedule is such I can still do all the things with Rebecca's schedule that I need to do - I work 30 hours a week (well really more) but I'm still able to pick her up from school and take her to dance - and on those days I can't I have two grandmothers to help me.
• I have a roof over my head, food in the fridge, a car in the drive way. I have money in my bank accounts -
• I have friends who make me laugh, so hard sometimes it makes me cry - we share and support one another - I've been blessed to have them.

So that's a start... this morning I have The Macy's Parade... I have four tickets to see New Moon tonight... I have crazy kids... I have cheese straws... I will make a pumpkin pie and take a shower and keep my mind focused on my haves as opposed to my have nots. While it's not been an easy road I know I am blessed - I have survived, and at times thrived, and the future is still unknown... my it hold untold, unimaginable, joy, peace and love... for all of us.