Thanksgiving 2015

Thanksgiving is celebrated all over the world, and for me Thanksgiving this year is a day I am particularly thankful. The past six weeks have been very tough for me personally, and even tougher for the world. Things feel like they are careening out of control from the hordes of people following Donald Trump (regardless, or perhaps because of his racist rants, and xenophobic lies, Trumped-up history if you’ll indulge me) to bombings, terror, hostages, police brutality, and the list goes on and on. This post is, however is about thankfulness, and that is where I will put my focus and my energy.

In no particular order, here is the list of things I am thankful for this year:

• My family; there is no way I could have gotten through my surgery and recovery without them, and I am deeply grateful for their help, support, care and their presence in my life, especially my kind and brave daughter
• My friends; from the ones who talked to me almost daily, listened to me cry and virtually held my hand, to the ones who called regularly to check in, came to see me, bringing soup, bread, cookies, and their lovely company, met me for meals, movies, or a trip to the flea market, and chauffeuring my daughter when I couldn’t drive
•  The job I worked at for only four weeks, and gave me time off to deal with a medical issue, and that I am happy to be returning to Monday
• My healthcare team who has restored my good health (both physical and mental) and were unfailingly kind and caring
• A friend of a friend who doesn’t even know me but did extensive research and inquiry about what I was going through and offered wise counsel
• The Yeah Write community, and the November blog challenge that gave me a place to express myself daily, to read amazing writing and exchange thoughts with other writers
• That I can now focus on returning to life, to health, to energy, and move forward with the rich life I am thankful for.