The Art of Thankfulness

Even my daddy, always quick with a negative comment delivered with his trademark pessimistic attitude, was thankful for certain things.

He thanked "JC" often for not allowing it to rain while he was fishing ... on the rainy side of Washington state ... as the clouds gushed forth.

While in the throes of end-stage cancer, he was thankful for someone to drive him to his favorite watering hole, to have "one last" Canadian Club and water--no ice.

He was thankful for all of the mistakes he'd made in his life and made every attempt to repeat some as often as possible.

I'm thankful for the opportunity to have had our home full of family and friends for the last four days. We celebrated: Thanksgiving on our schedule--on Saturday--and son's birthday on Sunday.

I'm thankful for a wonderful husband, children, grandchildren, and our ten-year-old one-eyed cat who seems to be slipping into senility. If only there could be some sensibility in senility.

I'm thankful to have been given the ability to form letters of the alphabet into words worth reading. Writing has opened a new world for me to explore with new friends and acquaintences.

I've learned to take the opportunity--OFTEN--to list what I'm thankful for. Reading these lists sometimes makes the more harsh times easier to withstand. A positive attitude may be just what we need to make those times happen less often. I happen to believe that we draw to us what we believe we deserve.

Attitude is a state of mind. Only I can change my attitude. Being thankful keeps me grounded.

Linda