Ten Things of Thankful

It is so helpful to me that at Josie Two Shoes site we are given more than enough days to write our posts to link up to her Ten Things of Thankful blog hop each week. I seem to come trailing in each week on the final day, but that doesn't mean I am less than thankful. Acknowledging gratitude is an important way to help one's mental and emotional help to my way of thinking, and I am not alone. Click.  

1. Visiting my Mom. After not being able to visit Mom for almost a couple of weeks, her roommate got over the flu, and it was okay for me to make visits again. I could have worn a mask and visited with Mom, but I felt that would have probably been too confusing for her, and I really didn't want to risk getting the flu. With Mom having advanced Alzheimer's there is enough confusion in Mom's mind to add to it me wearing a mask.

2. Pain medication. First of all, let's just get it out there in the beginning. I am usually not one who likes to take pain medication, because although they sometimes help, they also can bring on adverse reactions. This past week I welcomed some relief from pain in my hip and knee from what the doctor diagnosed as a type of bursitis in my hip. After an initial injection in my hip, followed by five days of pain medication, things are more manageable.

3. Classical music. As a child I took three years of piano lessons using mostly the Thompson and Aaron books. During those years I got an introduction of sorts to some of the classical pieces. I came to appreciate more classical pieces when one of our daughters learned to play the violin and was in orchestra and Junior Symphony during high school. On my drive up to visit my Mom the other day, I turned the radio station to a classical station where they were sharing an assortment of piano arrangements, organ numbers, and various renditions for stringed instruments. I actually like many different types of music, but this is a shout-out for my love for classical this time.

4. Power of prayer. There are times when there seems that there is so little that can be said and done to make a situation better for yourself or for someone else. Distance, whether in miles or in mind, may prevent help being given or received. One's own knowledge may be an obstacle as well in knowing how to proceed. When we know or perceive of the suffering of others, we often suffer with them to a degree, and I have personally found that prayer can buffer the distress in each.

5. Seeing the unexpected. One day this past week as my husband and I were driving along a road that we travel often we spotted three sandhill cranes and a couple of trumpeter swans. We have seen these birds in other parts of the state, but not here! What have you noticed in your natural surroundings that have surprised you lately?

6. Old photos. I must admit it. Photos of what is old, even ancient, has always spoken to me in some way. As a child, looking at pictures in discarded school books and looking at old family photos my grandmother kept in an stationery box intrigued me. With the many platforms of social media now, we have instant access to images of historical places, photos of people dressed in attire not seen in present day, city scenes that show dirt roads instead of pavement, etc. This past week we received an unexpected package of three old photos from a niece. What a thoughtful thing for her to do.

7. Jar of "good things." At the beginning of the month I saw an idea I wanted to pursue. Each day write one good thing that happened that day on a slip of paper and put the paper in a jar. I think that there is going to be a collection of jars by the end of the year. Maybe I need to write smaller.

Quart canning jar filled with little papers noting something good that happened that day.

8. Poetic thoughts (I think). One blustery day a few days ago, the wind seemed to have blown up some little leaves that crossed my path in front of the car. That prompted the following thought.

Dead leaves seeming to skip across the road from the brisk wind, enjoying the ride, leaving their earthen bier if but for a moment.

Will their form change through this energetic endeavor and mix with the atmosphere and become a new kind of life, or will they settle just as quickly back to their earthly grave?

Are we ready for that exit from our bier, or urn, when it is time, and become a more perfect version of ourselves, or do we suppose this is all there is?

Some may prefer to call these random thoughts, or perhaps a stream of consciousness, or just crazy ideas from a confused mind. What ever they are, they sometimes just escape from me onto paper or the computer screen. :-)

9. Red in the winter. On those winter days that are gloomy, I am thankful for a bit of red to brighten things up. I bought this plant when it was blooming. The  blooms stayed on for a long time, but finally fell. It cheers me up to see these blossoms coming out again.

Kalanchoe plant showing red blossoms

10. My kind, thoughtful, husband. Is there anything better than to grow older with someone and in the growing, gain more and more insights as to the inner being of that person? I think not.