giving thanks

Today is Thanksgiving--my favorite of all holidays. That says a lot, because I am not much for "favorites." My favorite color depends on so many things: my mood, the season, the day of week...same goes for my favorite food, flower, whatever. But Thanksgiving is different. I can say, honestly, that I just love everything about it.

First of all, the weather doesn't much matter, since food is the attraction, and I love food. Then there is the fact that there are not many Thanksgiving commercials, ads or sales. Decorating for Thanksgiving is pretty simple, too, and doesn't just apply to the one day. There isn't a whole lot of buildup.

And that, quite frankly, is the biggest attraction to me: it's a low-key holiday. Just some food and football, and a lot of time and space for introspection.

I am a lucky woman. I have a wonderful husband; we've spent literally half our lives together, and I'm so looking forward to enjoying at least as many more years together. We've made a lovely home, even if our house is quite a mess at times! Life here is good--we laugh, we cry, we play....I wouldn't want it any other way. The boys light up my life, truly. They make me crazy sometimes, but their spirit drives me forward. Watching them grow and mature has been a gift. Their futures intrigue me, and the unfolding is fascinating.

I am so very grateful for our extended family--sisters and brothers, cousins, aunts and uncles, and all those who make up their households. Each and every one of them is so very special to me; I could never imagine life without them. Aside from the warmth of familial love, each of them adds so much joy to my life. Visits with our family members from the far corners of the country always result in the most amazing memories. I am grateful for all those memories each and every day.

Living apart from family has led to a different dimension in our friendships, and I am so very grateful for the friends we have that are like family to us. There are times when I cannot adequately express my thankfulness for these people in my life. I have friends that I can count on to do more than just visit--we watch out for each other's kids, and we understand and accept each other's idiosyncrasies. Some of these friends have never been within a mile of our home, and yet their place in my heart is fixed fast. Some I have known since childhood, and some just a few months, and yet each and every one of them has become a part of the quilt of my life--a life that I appreciate so much for all the loose threads and even the occasional mismatched seam.

My life is warm and comfortable and colorful, just the way I like it. At Thanksgiving, especially, I wrap myself in this life-quilt and remember how lucky I am. I have health, a home, a job I like, people I both enjoy and admire, and enough joy to share. What more could I ask for?