Giving thanks

I've so much to be thankful for.  First and foremost is my health.  I recently celebrated my 13th "rebirthday" - my annual tribute to another year away from cancer.  I have a very strong marriage that is in its 23rd year.  My mother is healthy and my brother and his wife are too.  My in-laws live nearby and my husband is able to spend time with them.  My husband has a job and career that he loves.  And I found my niche in my career.

This year, our Thanksgiving feast happened twice; the first was a traditional one with my mother, who was en route to her Florida "snowbird" locale, and the second was nontraditional with my in-laws.  They were both great meals and great days.  The first involved a full bird, homemade cranberries, and all the usual trimmings.  What was fun about the second one, though, was the lack of truly huge amounts of effort in the cooking stage.  Nobody slaved for hours in the kitchen.  We were able to really just spend some prep time and a little baking time, and then we were sitting at the table and talking, enjoying each other's company.

A third feast happened this past weekend at a friend's house.  You know, the urban family thing.  About a dozen folks got together on Sunday afternoon and sat together, catching up.  For some of us, we only see each other this one time, or maybe one other, during the year; so aside from Facebook, this is where we catch up.  Fabulous food, excellent conversation, and a time to reflect on all that is good in our lives.

In this time of uncertainty in our world - be it financial, martial, health, etc - a time for reflecting on what's good in our lives is so important.  We can be brought down so easily.  But really, if you sit down for a quiet moment, you realize that life really IS good and we have much to be thankful for.

As we near Christmas, I offer all my friends my sincere thanks for their friendship, and I send best wishes for a safe, happy, healthy, prosperous season.