On November 1, I set a goal to write a daily blog of gratitude for the twenty-eight days leading up to Thanksgiving. Seems I pretty well did it. You may have noticed there was no entry for Day 27. Well, I have to say that is the omission that proves the rule. Ha! I know, forgiveness begged. Th But now it is done. And here, on day 28, I thought I would go for the proverbial whole enchilada. 28 things I am grateful for. Here goes, starting at 28 and counting down. 28. Days, nights and all the in-between hours. Every moment is to be treasured. They will never come again. 27. Sugar and Spice. In moderation, as in most things, these items make taking sustenance so much more enjoyable. 26. Trees. I have neighbors who complain about the leaves from my sycamore and the pine needles from the ancient pines that line my street. I don't usually complain because I think without them, we'd have no shade, the squirrels would no place to play and it would be a desert wasteland. 25. The number 25. I suppose it is because my birthday and Christmas are both celebrated on the twenty-fifth day of their respective months that I like the number 25. It is also a quarter of one hundred for what that is worth. It always sounds so solid, so true. Of course I like 2 and 4 and 9 and 14 and 22 too. 24. Birthdays. It is lovely for everyone to have a special holiday of their own in the sea of holidays we have each year. And the more you have, the longer you live! 23. Anniversaries. Like birthdays, these are unique to the person or persons celebrating them. They are a special way of remembering fond or important milestones, happy or sad, but always personal in nature. 22. Weather - its makes life interesting. Sunshine to rain, wind to drought. Each has a season and each has a lesson to teach if only we pay attention. 21. I am grateful for dreams. They entertain and they enlighten or they mystify and sometimes scare. It gives your mind a chance to play while you rest your body and soul. 20. A roof over my head. I am very fortunate to have a nice home in a nice neighborhood with good neighbors and friends who visit. I am blessed to have a place to lay my head at night and sleep secure and undisturbed. 19. Taste buds. Of course. Without taste buds, we'd eat, but not enjoy. Along with number 27, this makes dinnertime an delectable adventure. 18. Taste...good and bad. Good because it helps me remember to be socially appropriate (not the same as politically correct by a long shot). Bad because it lets me have fun and sometimes have fun with mixing pola dots and stripes ad lib. 17. I am so very glad and grateful I had the chance to get college education. I was the first on my mother's side to do so. My father's brother and sister were both teachers. I am lucky to have gone to school at a time when they taught students how to think and not what to think as it sometimes appears they do today. Critical thinking, being able to discern and discect, appreciate art and music and what makes people tick, well, it has made my life so much richer. 16. My body...good or bad...it serves me well and helps me get around in this world. What a gift to have this vessel to navigate my way around a world of wonders and feel the amazing sensations of its experience of the sight, sound, touch and feeling. 15. My religious and spiritual nature. I have never really adhered to one religion because I feel all religions provide a way to developing a realtionship with God. Spirituality is to me the expression of what we believe. And so, I am grateful for my ability to have beliefs while remaining open to other ways of thinking. That is a real blessing. 14. Television commercials. Say what? Okay, they can be annoying, but good golly, they can be so creative. And someimes they can be blatantly pandering to the more base impulses, but they are a necessary evil, so why not appreciate them? Of course commercials have become easier to cope with the advent of the DVR. 13. I am so very thankful for times of doing nothing. It is difficult for me to just sit and do nothing, but it feels so good when I do. 12. Being busy. I like to be needed. I like to be doing. I like having an agenda, but one that is not particularly binding. Being busy within the scope of being flexible. Like writing blogs.... 11. I am grateful to have lived so long. I do hope to live a little longer, but it amazes me just how long a life I have had already. And when I think about it, an interesting life too. 10. Ice cream. How could I not have mentioned ice creams before now? It is one of life's great pleasures. But then so is pie, and candy, and peanut butter and jelly. Bananas and pears and sometimes apples. Strawberries. Oh, then there's salmon and hamburgers from In and Out, tacos and burritos and....well, I guess you could say I am grateful for food. Bottom line, I am grateful that I have so many choices of what to eat every day. Let me not forget what a blessing this really is. 9. Family. The family I was born into and the family I have created since with friends and associates who make my life complete. 8. Facebook. Some might think I am addicted (maybe obsessed) but Facebook has brought something to my life that wasn't there. For me, Facebook is a place to have fun and commect with people I might not have connected with otherwise. I have found people from childhood on FB. I have fun, am silly and cynical and sardonic and funny and witty on FB. I keep it light and that is good for me. 7. Motivation and procrastination. Balancing both, this can serve and has me. Sometimes procrastination has kept me from doing something that might have led to disaster or just been a waste of time. And when motivation strikes, look out. 6. My muse who is so elusive yet keeps feeding me when I feed it. 5. I am grateful for the everyday opportunity to create my the experience I want to have and to do what I want to do. Again, I know not everyone has this opportunity. And I have to remind myself, especially when I guilt myself into doing things I don't really want to...lol. 4. Ching Ching, Tater Totte, Nina and Miguelito...my animal companions. What would life be like without them? They bring me joy and comfort and fun and a sense of responsibility for someone other than myself. There were mornings I am sure I would not have gotten out of bed had it not been for the fact the "kids" needed to be fed and walked. They are lifesavers and life enhancers. 3. Talent. I have talent. I am not always aware of it, not do I always appreciate and honor it. And usually I don't come right out and say it, but I have talent. I can write, I can photograph, I can communicate and suport and I can listen very well. 2. Tommorrow. As long as there is the promise of tomorrow, today will always be worth living. 1. Today. Now. The moment. It is all there really is and it is really the only time we are with our God. God is in the now, the present and always was and always will be. No matter what your take on what God really is...even if you really believe there is no God...there is only now and now and now. And overall, all things I am grateful for, that I have listed here and in these past twenty-eight days, are always with us, here and now.
2 Comments
Daryl-Ann
11/28/2013 02:23:04 pm
Rob, I've enjoyed your insights and empathized with you throughout your 28 day journey. It's been a good trip. I hope that, without the goal, you still write frequently. I know! It's a selfish wish. But it's your own fault for being a provocative and pleasant read - always. You know I have always loved to read your writing, my friend.
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BETTE
11/29/2013 12:56:57 am
I AM THANKFUL I COULD WRITE A FEW THINGS FOR MY FIREND I AM THANKFUL ALL MY RELATIVES GOT HERE
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AuthorRob McMurray, self described muser extraodinaire. ArchivesCategoriesAll All Saints Day Alphabet Artist Artistic Awareness Chaos Color Color Meaning Communication Tools Convenience Evolving Experience Faith Friendship Grace Grammar Gratitude Growth Inspiration Interpretation Intuition Invention Joy Of Life Letters Meaning Personal Conviction Personal Power Power Religion Remembering Strength Thanksgiving Writing |