I just read a news article about a woman in Denver, CO who spent last Thanksgiving unemployed in a motel room with her longtime partner because they'd just been evicted from their home. On Thanksgiving Day, the weight from the snow caved in part of the wall and they spent the day wet and miserable.
This year, both she and her man have new jobs and are enjoying a new townhouse. Rather than simply baste in her own success, the woman's gratitude moved her to reach out to others as down on their luck as she'd found herself last year and she posted an ad on Craigslist inviting them to share Thanksgiving with her. She and her partner ended up hosting Thanksgiving dinner for 32 complete strangers because once the responses arrived, there was no way she could turn any of them away.
What an awesome lady! It was such a beautiful story that it got me thinking about what all we have to be thankful for (see? it's a good, working phrase!). Here are a few things I came up with...
The color pink
Beans who can turn anything into a toy and their big brother Biscuit, who can capture moments like these while his mom changes a diaper.
Soft Blankets, Binkies and Buddies for when the Beans are sleepy.
Used cars (with doors, but hey, whatever floats her boat, right?).
An appreciation for "Dukes of Hazzard Style".
Bean-sized wild-animal prints and an abundance of baby wipes.
WINNING THE BIG GAME!!!!!!
Matching Thanksgiving dresses, Red Circus Box and Mimzi hugs.
Papa (DPSM) hugs and all of his.... original music ;)
Great-Grandma singing to Pipsi.
Turkey with gravy and Cheerios.
Great friends--
Who have great kids.
And completely tear-free visits to Santa.
Now that all the kids are healthy again, most of the laundry is caught up and nothing in the fridge smells like roadkill left in the Arkansas sun for too long (just give it a week, folks) I can take a moment to think about how much has happened since last Thanksgiving. As far as material possessions go, I don't think we have a greater number of things in our lives-- in fact it's rather the opposite. Last year we were still in the other house in another town, the Beans were still brand-new and we really didn't know what was going to happen or where we would be for Thanksgiving this year. And now I drive a van, am a slave to Happy Nappy schedules and share 1500 child-proofed square feet with four other people and a spazzy Border Collie.
But I can declare today without any equivocation whatsoever that I am so very thankful for each and every little bit of this life. Is it what I thought I saw when I looked into my five-year crystal ball in 2003 when Hubby, Biscuit and I spent out first Thanksgiving together? Not exactly. We never, ever anticipated twins. And I always thought that by the time Biscuit was the age he is now that my career would be charging full steam ahead, not laid aside for other things-- but those other things turned out to be the Beans and I wouldn't trade the fun, happy time I get to spend with them and Biscuit and Hubby for anything at all.
We don't have a great big impressive house. We don't have glamorous cars and I'll probably never get over my obsessive cheapness enough to spring for a tummy tuck. We don't take exotic vacations and Hubby and I may never take a real honeymoon. But even though we don't have all the requisite trappings of success, I still think that the sum of what we do have is everything to be thankful for (see? it totally works!).
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2 comments:
I read this today and it made me cry. Not for the reason you think it would, sure the story was touching and all but I cried because it's become abundantly clear to me now that you favor my husband and son over the CHF and me. And I really don't care if the sentence I just wrote is a run on, or has a dangling particple or anything like that, I'm so crushed I can barely think much less write coherently.
That's one of the things I like so much about you, my friend-- that it can take a while, but eventually you get the hint. Next time i'll give the trainer man and male offspring the cold blog shoulder.
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