Thanksgiving Day / Every Day

Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.  - Edward Sandford Martin 

49 Gratitudes

As my seventh day of seven gratitudes closes, I am thankful I actually remembered to make my list every evening.  Amazingly, I had very little repetition even though I was focusing on one area of my life (health).  I shared my first seven gratitudes on November 15, and I continued to keep a private list for the six days following.  Today's list included:

• I am grateful for the sweetness of favorite sounds, sights, smells, and tastes.

Sounds. Watching NCIS last night, I understood Ziva's desire to hear Puccini's opera music because it reminded her of her late sister. When Tony played the music for Ziva at the end of the episode, it sounded beautifully sweet and sad to me, too. What other sounds are sweet to me? The voice of my son, the cooing of almost any baby, the roar of the ocean, and the trickle of a stream on the rocks. Do your ears hear favorite sounds you are thankful for?

Sights. One that is sweet to me is the sight of an elderly couple holding hands. The sight of a happy baby always makes me want to smile. I enjoy seeing a youngster demonstrating grown-up manners by holding a door open or shaking hands - they are so cute! The view of the red rocks against the blue skies of Sedona remains both sweet and powerful in my memory. What favorite sights do your eyes see are you thankful for?

Smells. Brewing coffee and frying bacon come to mind almost immediately, as does the smell of cookies baking. The Evening in Paris fragrance my mother wore when I was a girl, the scent of a green Christmas tree, and the salty tang of the air on the ocean shore have all been precious to me. Does your nose recognize some favorite smells you are thankful for?

Tastes. Butternut squash ravioli at Pastini's is sweet as ambrosia to me. A slice of ripe, red watermelon tastes delicious after a winter of no watermelon. Perhaps a lover's kiss or a cold drink of water or a hot cup of cocoa has been especially sweet at times. What favorite tastes on your lips and tongue are you thankful for?

Hope And Sense

Hope is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out.  - Vaclav Havel

7 Health Gratitudes x 7 Days

With Thanksgiving Day just one week away, I've decided to put my 7 Gratitudes x 7 Days into practice again - with one significant difference.  My intention is to think of as many gratitudes as I can in regard to my health.

People who know me may have heard me moaning and groaning about my health a bit (okay, more than a bit).  But, since what we are grateful for tends to increase, I thought I would put my attention on those things I appreciate in relation to my physical health.

Here are my 7 Gratitudes for today:

• my ears that hear music
• my cholestrol that is normal
• my hair that is thick and healthy
• my yoga instructor who is wonderful
• my B12 supplements
• my feet that support me in standing and walking
• my teeth that chew my food

Doing And Being

From a newspaper clipping circa 1990:

For me, the balance between doing and being is the most important and dangerous question. If I am guilted or lured into achieving too much and lose the stillness at my center, then it takes me a long time to regain it, and I do violence to myself or those I love because of fatigue and pressure. I have had to give up "winning big" because I love my life when I am connected to it, and I hate it when I get caught up in competition and deadlines.  - Judith Duerk, Circles of Stones

Colder Temperatures

It is now officially "late autumn" at my home.  I know this because I started turning on the heat this past week to warm my apartment.

Every year I challenge myself to see how early in the spring I can turn the heat off and how late in the fall I can turn it back on.  It's a way to save a little energy and a little money.  I think it also symbolizes for me that I always hope for the longest possible period of good weather each year.

Thankfully, there are some good things about the colder weather. I can use my oven whenever I want, without worrying about how hot the weather will be. This week, I experimented with slow roasting some vegetables in the oven - delicious!  And, eggnog lattes are back at Starbucks!

You've Probably Seen It By Now

Michelle Obama and President Barack Obama

Photo: Barack Obama's Twitter

Election Day

"A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation." 
            -  James Freeman Clarke

"There are always too many Democratic congressmen, too many Republican congressmen, and never enough U.S. congressmen."
            -  Author Unknown

"People often say that, in a democracy, decisions are made by a majority of the people. Of course, that is not true. Decisions are made by a majority of those who make themselves heard and who vote -- a very different thing." 

            - Walter H. Judd

The Measure of Leaves

The Measure of Leaves

Leaves drift softly earthward toward the grass

Spring and summer blend from green to gold
And so the seasons come full turn and pass
Day follows day and each of us grows old.

Somewhere there is a bright new shining day
And as these seasons pace and turn
We will live in joy complete and never say
That for younger days our hearts still yearn.

                                                                                    - Corby Magnuson

Trust This Truth

Another great post from Liz (www.lizlamoreux.com):

May you remember to reach out for support when you need it. May you know that there really is always a hand waiting to hold yours in the dark. May you give yourself the gift of knowing you are enough.