3-29-2017 Favors

I like doing favors for people, both the kind that you know can not be repaid (e.g. anonymous ones) and the kind that might get paid back someday, maybe when you least expect it.

If someone says "can you do me a favor?" and they really need your help and it's something you can help out with, it feels really good. Sometimes little favors can make a big difference.

And when I'm the person asking for a favor, it can be such a huge relief.

So today, I am grateful for favors!

3-26-17 Stitches

Stitches (aka sutures) - No one ever really WANTS to get stitches - unless you need them.  And if you really need the stitches then there is probably something much more traumatic going on than the stitches themselves.  And eventually, the wound heals, and the stitches come out and it's all in the past.  But, while they are in, they are literally holding us together.  They've been around for a long time in some form or another, but someone a long time ago first thought of them and now they are almost taken for granted.

But today, I'm grateful for stitches.

3-25-2017 Talking About It

It sounds like a cliche sometimes when someone says "you'll feel a lot better if you talk about it."  But cliche's got that way for mostly being true.  Talking is taking a type of action, like writing is as well.  They are both different from other types of actions because in a way you're still not really doing anything.  But still, there is power in talking, it's the seed, the thing to get things rolling.

I've had to do a lot of talking recently, to various people, and about things I might not have talked about if I didn't have a goal.

And, it really has helped in many ways.  I do feel a lot better (maybe not at the very first moment, maybe it takes a day or two or a week, but eventually and especially compared to not talking in the end you really do feel a lot better).

So, today I'm grateful for talking about it.

3-24-2017 Close Shaves

When something bad happens, but it could have been much, much worse, and instead of a major tragedy we say things like "a few cuts and bruises" or "pretty shaken up, but ok".

Tonight, my dog Stella got into a dog fight.  She looked ok at first and acted like she wanted to play except for a big gaping hole in her neck at least two inches long.  Dogs don't seem to bleed the exact same way that people do so it almost looked impossible or fake that there's such a big hole.  She seemed ok and I started thinking about how much this might cost to get fixed and took her to the vet.  She eventually started to bleed a little bit because she was pulling at the leash when she walked into the vet's office.

After some time the vet came to talk to me.  She told me that the bite was incredibly close to her jugular and I immediately had an image in my head of seeing her bleed out and die on my kitchen floor at home.

But, that did not happen.
It's just some stitches and a few hundred dollars in vet bills.

There have been other close shaves I've seen in my life.  The bad thing didn't happen, it almost did, but not this time.

It's better if these things didn't happen at all, but for all the close shaves, I'm grateful for each one.

3-14-17 Cheese sticks

Cheese sticks are good to have around whether as a snack by themselves, as part of lunch, at home or take with you.  They are fun to pull apart into strings or just eat.  And if you know someone that likes them, they are good to keep some on hand to share.  I've learned some good things because of cheese sticks and I never thought I'd be grateful about a prepackaged cheese product but it goes to show there are things to be grateful for all around.  So, tonight I am grateful for cheese sticks!!

3-13-17 Unexpected Good Phone Call

I had been meaning to call my brother with big news, it was on a list of things to do. But, he called me instead and had a good talk with him.  When I got home I looked at my growing list of things to do and had forgotten I had put that on the list.  Grateful that he called and all the times that has happened!

3-12-17 Jessica

I usually talk about things I am grateful for, but have mentioned people, like my son Andy.  I'm grateful for Jessica coming into my life and showing me things about myself and seeing the good in me and not giving up, I am truly grateful for her.

3-10-17 People Who Help Me Grow

No matter how old you are, there always seems to be more growing to do.  People come into our lives that show us the way, teach us lessons, make us rise to the occasion, or whatever it takes.  I am grateful for all the people that help me grow!

3-4-2017 Sitting at the Beach

The beach, a few of them actually, are not far.  It was a nice day out, the kind you don't want to waste.  I actually wasn't in the mood to sit by the water but I told someone I would enjoy the day.  I parked on the causeway and set up my chair, sat back and listened to the waves and wind (and some snippets of conversation of the people next to me but completely by accident!).  It doesn't fix everything but you really can't go wrong and it certainly helped, so today I'm not only grateful for sitting at the beach but actually wrote it down this time!