Finding Grace #4

Things for which I am thankful...counting up to 100

26. My computer. The thing is an aggravation when it doesn't work properly (which it didn't this morning) but it is a lifeline to the outer world for me.

27. My pillow. A silly little thing, to be thankful for something soft yet firm beneath my neck, but I can only imagine the headaches and stiff necks I avoid because of it.

28. My socks. I love the feel of new socks on my feet. Then they are all soft and cuddly and caressing. Old socks just fit great and are comfy. They keep things dry and safe.




29. My shoes. Since I have a lot of problem with my feet, my shoes are always very welcome. Without them I would be in a world of hurt.

30. The deer outside my window. These animals remind me to be calm and curious, and to run away when I am scared. I think that is generally good advice.

31. Tears. I know crying is not considered a good thing and generally is frowned upon, but I think tears can be very good things indeed. They are cleansing. They let the world around you know that your feelings are intense (or else you've hurt your eye!).

32. Water. This goes along with tears, I guess. But where would we be without this basic? In 3-4 days, we'd all take to our beds... in 6-7 days, we'd be no more. Just imagine, no drinking water... yikes. Or what if we have enough for drinking, but not bathing or washing? Very important, this one!

33. My watch. I cannot remember ever not wearing watch. I have an obsession with knowing what time it is. If my watch breaks, I can't go an hour without seeking out a new one.

34. Butterflies. The world would be less beautiful without these little creatures, wouldn't it? Their bright wings and free-flying attitude makes things seem better when you see them.




35. Blogging. How could I not be thankful for blogging, and the way it has brought me new friends and faces? Blogging has opened up a lot of different avenues for me, even if I still don't know exactly what it is I blog about.

36. Evergreens. Without these trees, there would be no greenery in winter, and no Christmas trees! Wouldn't that be a shame?

37. And that brings us to Christmas. Here it is July and I am thankful for Christmas. Christmas as a commercial endeavor gives us all something to look forward to - a day off, something else to think about, time with friends and family. As a religious holiday, it brings about deeper spirituality and affords us a moment to remember the reason we worship.

38. Presents! One thing leads to another doesn't it? I love getting presents and will be unabashed about it. A present means someone thought about me at a time not then - not because I called them or I am in their face or emailing them. But because they were out and about and they saw this something, and they thought, Oh, my friend/cousin/sister/wife/daughter-in-law/whatever would like that. That's what is so great about a present. Being remembered.

39. Books. I can't believe I put this so far down on the list! I love books. I love to be transported to a new world, off and away from my troubles. Books open up new characters, new settings, and new ideas. The world will be a very boring place when we no longer have books.

40. Video games. I confess I am a bit of a video game addict. I love to play and I especially love games that have a story to them. Some of my early favorites were the Kings Quest series - I wonder who remembers those? They were relatively non-violent and had a story line. Many if not all video games have a story line - this is something I think folks who don't play them don't realize. It may be as simple as "invade the castle and free the slaves" and then you spend 20 hours blasting away at various goblins to get to the end, but still, there is a story. I always thought I might one day be a video game story writer but I have not figured out how to do that.