Happy ThanksgivingWhen I sat down at the computer to write today’s post, I intended to write about gratitude and reflect on all the blessings I have in my life. But I quickly realized a novel longer than Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina or de Servantes’ Don Quixote would be required.

More importantly, when I paused to consider all I was thankful for, my gratitude wasn’t just about the big things we most often think about, like God, family, and a home filled with love. They were also about the little things we don’t often think about, like clean air to breathe, the ability to see or hear, and a warm blanket or jacket on a chilly day.

So here is my list of 50 things – just off the top of my head – big and small – and in no particular order – of the many things I will be giving thanks for this Thanksgiving holiday.

  1. Feeding and watching the birds in my yard
  2. Playing with puppies and kittens
  3. Petting animals
  4. The smell of coffee
  5. The smell of bread baking
  6. Warm towels and blankets just out of the dryer
  7. Holding my husband’s hand
  8. Snuggling with my husband when we watch TV
  9. Cuddling up next to my husband in bed to stay warm
  10. The smell of rain
  11. The sound of rain
  12. Snow
  13. The sound of wind
  14. Wind blowing through my hair
  15. Watching trees and their leaves move in the wind
  16. Clouds
  17. Feeling the sun on my face
  18. Swimming
  19. A warm shower
  20. Clean water to drink
  21. Being able to wash myself and my clothes
  22. A home
  23. A home which keeps me warm in the winter and cool in the summer
  24. Air conditioning
  25. Heat
  26. Fireplaces
  27. A cooktop to cook food – inside my home
  28. The ability to independently perform activities of daily living
  29. Eating
  30. Drinking
  31. Breathing
  32. The ability to see, hear, speak, walk, etc.
  33. Enough money to buy food, clothing, and a home to live in
  34. Places where I can buy what I need.
  35. A car
  36. A car which is reliable
  37. The freedom to drive where I want to
  38. The freedom to educate myself
  39. The freedom to practice my religion
  40. The freedom to vote
  41. The freedom to express my opinion
  42. The blessing of living in a home free of violence or abuse
  43. Gardening
  44. Trees, bushes, flowers, and more trees, bushes, and flowers
  45. The miracle of life
  46. Nature
  47. My back porch

And of course,

  1. God
  2. Friends and family
  3. A home filled with love

What will you be giving thanks for this Thanksgiving?

May you and your families have a safe and joyous Thanksgiving.