My ‘grateful’ list

Besides an annual guilt-free excuse to eat until we pop a button, Thanksgiving is a time when we’re supposed to express gratitude and appreciation for our blessings. My thanksgiving dinner is typically held at my sister’s house and, at the urging of her children, we go around the table and list our biggest blessings. My mother always gives thanks for her health and her children; my sister usually expresses appreciation for the people who love her unconditionally like her children, her boyfriend and her ever-loyal sister (me). My nephew is especially cute; he is usually most grateful for his dog, Gypsy. Gypsy is, in fact, the most beautiful and lovable Golden Retriever in the entire world and so we all nod our heads in agreement and hold out our hands to give Gypsy some food off our plates. (Gypsy is often right under my seat because she knows I’m the most likely to drop food on the floor…)

I have a lot to be thankful for this year and since you won’t be at my dinner table, I figured I would write it down and post it on my blog.

At the top of my list is my family. They’re far from perfect and even further from functional but they’re mine and I love them. I am incredibly blessed to have a place to go on this and every other holiday or even on a random Sunday afternoon. And I’m grateful that I don’t have to put on any pretenses or act like someone I’m not. My family knows who I am deep in my core and they love me – the good, the bad, the well-behaved and the bratty, the thoughtful and the selfish, the talented and the clumsy, the extremely intelligent and the insanely ditzy and gullible. They love me. And I love them right back.

I’m thankful for my friends. I’m happy to have friends who want to spend time with me, whether grabbing a beer, seeing a movie, watching football or going on a cruise. I’m happy to have friends to call when I need advice, cheering up or am just bored and want to say “hi” and I am happy that I have friends who call on me for those same things. I’m grateful to have friends I trust and flattered to have friends who trust me. I’m happy I have friends who don’t think I’m weird and other friends who think I’m incredibly weird and love me for it. And, finally, I’d be so bored if I had no friends!!

I’m really grateful for the huge chunk of Muenster cheese my sister always buys to serve with appetizers. And, I love sweet potato pie with marshmallows.

I’m thankful for my health and my strength. I’m blessed to be able to get up every morning and exercise. I thank God that despite getting hit by a car over ten years ago, I can still run upwards of nine miles and challenge myself to do new exercises as well. I’m appreciative that my energy belies my age and my lack of wrinkles do too. I’m thankful that people are constantly surprised when I tell them how old I am. I guess that means I’m thankful for good genes too.

I’m incredibly proud that my book was published this year and beyond excited that so many people have told me how much they enjoyed it. But more than that, I’m grateful for the support that came from unexpected sources. Like the friends who posted the link to my book on their own Facebook pages; the people who took the time to write reviews on Amazon (some without being asked), the people who bought not one, but two or three copies (and they are not even relatives) and the people who I haven’t seen or spoken to for ages who called me/emailed me out of the blue just to tell me how much they liked the book.

Finally, I’m thankful that with every year, I learn more about myself, what makes me happy, what I need, what I deserve and what I’m willing to put up with. I’m blessed with the ability to take responsibility for my own actions, learn from my mistakes and keep trying to be a better person.

Happy Turkey Day (or in my case “Prime Rib day”)

Until next time,
Meredith

2 Comments

  1. ROBERTA on December 19, 2010 at 1:57 am

    Dear Meridith—I am your dad’s cousin.so I guess that makes us related.I just spoke with your Mom & she told me of your web site.I read all your blogs & I love them.I hope to get your book or find it on KINDLE.Good luck with next book.I think your terrific.

  2. admin on December 21, 2010 at 9:55 pm

    Thank you, Roberta! I remember you, of course although it’s been a very long time. I hope you are well! Thank you for reading my blogs!

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