Thanksgiving Day

  The holiday season begins.  Today is the day of giving thanks for all things big and small...

• I'm thankful I awoke this morning; at my age, who knows?
• I'm grateful for my family and friends, even those that irritate me for they help me learn patience and acceptance.
• I'm thankful that my friends have a short memory!
• I appreciate the kindnesses that come my way.
• I cherish Larry's love pats on my butt each and every day.
• I'm grateful that I enjoy a comfortable retirement.
• I prize my traveling adventures.
• I'm thankful for good health, both mine and my hubby's.
• I treasure my puppy, Max.
• I'm grateful for the smiles of strangers.
• I appreciate the friendship of my family; after all, they don't have to like me!
• I'm happy that my new and untried asparagus dish turned out well for our Thanksgiving Dinner!

And the list could go on and on.   Happy Thanksgiving Day, everyone!

Possibilities

"So what do you wanna be when you grow up?"

Haven't we all been asked that question as little kids? We've probably asked it of our grandkids and just kids in general. And, for each kid,the answers changed a thousand times.


"A fireman."
"A garbageman."
"An astronaut."
"An actor."
"A policeman.'
"President of the United States."
"A major league baseball player."
"A rock star."
"A treasure hunter."

The answers are usually so-o-o out there and seem so-o-o improbable and impossible that one stifles a laugh at the responses. But, toddlers are by nature, dreamers of the Impossible Dream. EVERYTHING is within their grasp and nothing seems un-doable. Ah, the magic of childhood. Ah, such enthusiasm! We can learn much from children. Perhaps this "magic" should sprinkle our adult years with such optimism and the idea that anything we can dream, we can do!

"There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million." ~Walt Streightiff

Circle of Life

Two days ago we attended the funeral of our friends' father. "Cotton" was an elderly gentleman in bad health. To be honest, at the age of 86, his quality of life was deteriorating over the last several years. God finally decided to call him home. This morning, ironically, I received a phone call from my brother and sister-in-law in California. Her mother is 91 and is longing to the end of her life. Then, to add to these situations, our long-time neighbors called to say his dad, age 87, has been diagnosed with bone cancer and has little time to live.
Larry and I are at that age, I guess, where we dress in suits and ties for more funerals than weddings. It's a natural progression in life...the young outliving the old. Bearing witness to the death of our parents isn't easy. You begin to look at your own family--kids and grand-kids in a different light. We, too, are in the process of aging and arriving at the point in time where our kids will be the witnesses to the circle of life.

All we can do is live life large... and well.

From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the sun
There's more to be seen than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done

In the circle of life
It's the wheel of fortune
It's the leap of faith
It's the band of hope
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle, the circle of life
---Elton John