With Thanksgiving upon us, it’s time for another 22 Moments of Gratitude. I’ve made two gratitude lists, but there never seems to be a shortage of things to appreciate, even when skies get a little dark. This year has been one of change and challenges, but I managed to keep my focus on the things that matter most.
Once again, I’m hoping to add to the lists I’ve made previously without too much overlap. See my previous moments of gratitude by following the links . . .
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1. Both of my dogs (a.k.a. furkids) are happy and healthy. After a couple of scares, this means so much.
2. My sister. She was there when I needed her the most and in the best way possible.
3. I know what it is to be scared of the future, but not enough to lose trust in fate.
4. More time with a treasured friend. You know who you are. 🙂
5. A bountiful garden. Despite tired soil, my garden grew wild with vegetables and flowers. Everything in it nourished both body and spirit.
6. Feeling the presence of my Grandma. She passed away almost a year ago, but I feel her smiling wherever I go.
7. A year of good books. In particular, a series recommended to me by the treasured friend mentioned in #4. Maisie Dobbs rocks.
8. Baskets full of yarn and knitting needles. There’s something really special about wearing clothes I made with my own hands.
9. Poetry. Somehow I found my groove in the poetic realm and I am enjoying the journey.
10. I know what it feels like to have friends rally around me during a tough time. That kind of warmth was unexpected and overwhelming. I owe you all so much for keeping me afloat.
11. Remembering the joy and magic of learning. The challenge of teaching AP Art History has rekindled my curiosity.
12. A moment of calm, when I can simply sit and listen to the rain.
13. Going home to pick up the pieces of my soul that wandered off.
14. Money is tight, but love is plentiful.
15. Finishing a novel and having the guts to pitch it.
16. Fridays with Grandpa.
17. Watching my little pine tree grow. Its been a year and he’s still alive.
18. My muse never seems to run out of gas.
19. My readers. You all keep coming back, even when I don’t deserve it.
20. Writing with my mom. No matter how many times we share a table, it never gets old.
21. Coffee. Both the Tall Cafe Mocha from Starbucks and Hills Bros. Double Mocha Cappuccino. I only thought I appreciated my muse juice, until one day it was gone.
22. Despite the highs and lows, I am still me. And nothing can take that away.
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What’s on your gratitude list this year? Leave a link or post in the comments!
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope your day is filled with good food and the warmth of loved ones.
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c.b.w. 2013
C.B. Wentworth 
I am most grateful this difficult year for me for my family and friends who remind me that love will see us through. Happy Thanksgiving.
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What a beautiful thing to be grateful for! 🙂
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Thank you for sharing and for being the wonderful person we all love.
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Thank you for being such a wonderful friend. 🙂 Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
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A lovely list woven through with memories, big and small, of the things that matter most. I guess that’s what I’m thankful for as well – a life enriched by what matters most.
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So true. No matter what I lose, I still have what matters most: Love and happiness.
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I am glad you have much for which to be thankful.
Since I read your next post first, and you mentioned your Art History class, I was wondering if you had a class on hand turkeys, since I’m sure every one of your students has created them at some point in their history! lol
I like that you spend your Fridays with your Grandpa and feel your Grandma smiling down at you. It’s wonderful when we think so often of those who have left this earth but not our hearts. Happy Thanksgiving. 🙂
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I’ll have to ask my students when I see them next week. I hope it’s a tradition still shared among children.:-)
This was our first Thanksgiving without Grandma at the table, but we all felt her presence. I miss her, but it is comforting to know she is still there in a different way. You just have to be aware enough to feel her. 🙂
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Your list helped me re-focus a little. I’m having a hard time seeing the “thanks” in this year, but I know there are many and I just need to focus on them. I’m glad you are enjoying the Art History. I discovered that course in my thirties and my mind went on fire, became a sponge, and I couldn’t learn enough. In fact, my life took off in the art direction and fueled me for many years, decades. For that, I am forever grateful.
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Sometimes when life gets hard, the only way to keep from losing yourself is to hold onto moments of gratitude. Even the tiniest things can be a lifeline.
Your description of your mind becoming a sponge is exactly how I feel. I’m excited to go into work each day and discover something new. 🙂
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#20… 🙂
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