I’ve been staring at a blank computer screen for the last few minutes. It’s actually not totally blank; I have a working title. “Things I’m Thankful for Right Now.” It’s this week’s #TuesdayTen topic, and I’ve been planning on participating. This week’s theme is almost identical to Lizzi’s weekly Ten Things of Thankful, which I have taken part in only one sad little time in the more than a year that it’s been in existence.
I thought this topic would be easy. This is the time of year when we focus on gratitude, or at least acknowledging that gratitude. Yet I sit here, struggling to come up with my list of ten.
I’m not struggling because I’m lacking gratitude; I’m struggling because it’s overflowing. How do I pick just ten? Should they be significant things or small, everyday things? Tangible or abstract? Silly or serious?
My characteristic decisiveness is eluding me. Focus, Dana!
I’m thankful for the hugely significant things.
1. The people and relationships that give me joy, connection, worry, and love. My husband, my kids, my parents, my sister, my nieces and nephews, my in-laws, my friends. You.
I’m thankful for the small, everyday things.
2. A cup of coffee first thing every morning. And second thing. And every afternoon. I’d be more thankful for a nap, but since that can’t happen I will appreciate my coffee.
3. My comfy sweater and slippers. Because from November to March, I am always cold.
I’m thankful for the tangible things.
4. Our home. It’s not going to grace the pages of a magazine (unless it’s Mediocre Suburbia Monthly), but it’s ours.
5. Books. Books have brought me more joy than any other tangible thing in my life. Even more than coffee and my shoe collection.
My favorite books in the world.
I’m thankful for the abstract things.
6. My freedom, and the fact that Matt and I are raising our children in a country and community where they can be anything. That both our son and our daughter can have the same bright future, and that their religion is not a bull’s eye on their backs.
I’m thankful for silly things.
7. Making goggles out of spoons.
8. James’ giggles (pre-voice change) when he watches me eat a super sour candy.
9. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. For a Broadway lover, it’s a free front row seat to a handful of musicals. And I can watch in my pajamas.
I’m thankful for the serious things.
10. My healthy body and mind, and those of the people I love. I’m not ecstatic about growing older, but as my father likes to say, it’s better than the alternative.
Happy Thanksgiving! May you celebrate and cherish whatever and whoever you are thankful for, this week and always.
I couldn’t think of a better list of thankfuls. Glad to know that you got it out; and I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving! (btw, what is the obsession with those super sour candies? I take it you didn’t have a second.. 🙂 )
I did not have a second! I don’t know how my son eats those. And yes, we had a great Thanksgiving – hope you did too!
I love that you made categories for your thankfuls!!!
And, I really love that you included your shoe collection – I’m super thankful for my shoes and boots!!!!
Hope you have had a great Thanksgiving weekend.
I did, Kim – hope you did too. And I added a pair of boots and a pair of shoes to my collection. 🙂
I was in voice change denial. I forgot all about that. I guess I’ve only got a couple years left with that as well. 🙁 That was cute. I’m getting ready to put some spoon goggles on and walk to Christopher’s room. Mine are clear 😉
Clear spoons would be smart – less bumping into walls that way. Hope you had a great weekend!
I loved your list, Dana! I can relate in so many ways. Some weeks it can be more difficult than others to come up with my 10 things, but it has gotten easier. I think I might have been linking up to that hop with Lizzi for nearly a year now. I hope you have a great weekend!
I had a great weekend, Brittnei – thank you. We are all going to be hurting at 6:15 tomorrow morning!
Happy Thanksgiving Dana! Love what your father said!
Me too, although my mother informed me that she was the one who actually said that!
Happy Thanksgiving, Dana. I’m thankful for the big and the small as well and completely agree with your dad that aging is better than the alternative. I hope you’ve had a fabulous day!!
I had a great day and weekend, Kristi. This is the first time I’ve checked my blog in four days!
If there was a Mediocre Suburbia Monthly, I’d totally subscribe. These are great reminders of things great and small to be thankful of. Wishing you a happy and safe Thanksgiving!
Thank you, Jennifer – you too!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Books > Coffee?
Yes, I’d pick books over coffee any day. Fortunately I don’t have to, because I’d prefer to have both!
Dana, you may have been stumped at first but once the words started flowing, you hit the nail on the head. Our best lives are a combination of the serious and the silly, the enormous and the tiny, treasures and emotions. I think you have beautifully put into words the importance of noticing and appreciating it all.
Aw, thank you, Mo. I’m glad this resonated with you. Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving friend. I love your thankfuls, they are beautiful. And those are my favorite books too. Still need to read the last one. The series thought…I am not sure. Loved it initially then it kind of lost me.
I need to read the last one too. And I loved the series – but no new episodes until April? That’s just wrong. Happy Thanksgiving Tara!
Wonderful gratitude list! Hope you have a great Thanksgiving 🙂
Thank you – you too!
Great thankful list! The plastic spoon goggles rock and I would have had that exact same reaction to that black cherry sour candy! I hope all of you have a very Happy Thanksgiving, Dana! 🙂
Thanks so much Mike – happy Thanksgiving to you too!
Love!
Happy Thanksgiving, Dana.
You too Nicki!
I am thankful for may of the same things! And I love the Macys parade and can’t wait to curl up on the couch with a big mug of coffee!!! Happy Thanksgiving Dana.
Cheers to you from one sofa to another, Allie. Happy Thanksgiving to you too!
That video is pretty great! I don’t know if I could go through with eating one of those.
I think your thankful things are pretty great!
Me too, Tamara. I wonder if those warheads would be even more sour for a super taster like you. I can’t even imagine.
DANA! THE ONE WEEK WE AREN’T GONNA RUN THE HOP COS WE THOUGHT NO-ONE WOULD BE AROUND TO JOIN IN!
*siiiiiggggggghhhhhhh*
I can’t believe you put the super sour candy BACK IN YOUR MOUTH! You nutter 😀
Gorgeous list, though, and I’m glad your life is overflowing with so many things to be thankful for. This is a true celebration.
Happy Thanksgiving, my friend.
Sorry, Lizzi! I won’t be around to join this weekend either. And yes, putting the candy back in my mouth was not smart. But I was dared, so I had to do it. It was vile. Happy Thanksgiving to you, even though it’s only a holiday in ‘Murica. Which is my new favorite way of saying my country’s name.:)
Pffft well THAT backfired! Of COURSE we’re around this weekend – won’t you at least drop the link to this in? Nothing else needed!
*grins* I’m glad to know you’re like me – can’t resist a dare.
And YAY ‘MURICA! 😀
Will do – I will try to drop the link and visit a few when I get home on Sunday.
My dad says the exact same thing!! I love what you did with this. E really do have so much to be thankful for!
Yes we do. Remind me of that when I start to complain!
Perfect! Happy Thanksgiving!
You too Liz!
Diana Gabaldon! Jamie! I haven’t even read the most recent one. Is it good?
I haven’t read it either, Sarah! I’ve had it since it came out, but I need lots of uninterrupted time to read it. Hopefully over the winter break.
You always make me laugh and smile! Thanks for your style and bless your family
Thank you so much, Tammie! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Wonderful. Love your list. Can you believe I have never read Diana G. books? I keep hearing about how good they are. Side note: how do you make those cool images (feather thing) – photoshop? Beautiful!
Not photoshop – that image was a free one on bigstockphoto.com. They have one free image every week, and I download it in case I ever need it.
A great list! It’s true that when you start to look around and in the dusty corners of life, there’s so much to be thankful for! Happy Thanksgiving! (I count the National Dog Show viewing up there with the Macy’s parade….)
Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Michele! I usually get my butt off the sofa after the parade, but the dog show can pull me back in.
It’s so fun to see the different ways that people are thankful and the way they break them down. That video is so fun!
Thanks, Echo. I’m so glad my son made it – his voice is so deep now, and that was less than a year ago. I’m going to keep that little boy voice on my phone forever!
I am thankful for your list of favorite things. As I started my holiday shopping last week, I went back and referenced some of your previous blogs. Some gifts are for the kids and some are for me . . .
That makes me so happy, Mimi! And one for them, one for you. That’s the only way to shop.
Happy Thanksgiving! Wonderful job breaking down the categories of thankfulness, it does make it much easier to make a list when you think of it that way. Loved the video, too.
As always, so thankful that you are my friend!
The feeling is mutual, Laura. I’m very thankful to have you in my life! Have a great Thanksgiving, my friend.
My mother says the same thing about growing older (better than the alternative)- must be generational! I am thankful for great neighbors. Love this post- thanks for sharing! Happy Thanksgiving!
I read this after our walk – I am thankful for my awesome neighbors too. May we have many more years of walking and talking together!
Yes to ALL of those things and especially slippers, coffee, little boy giggles, books and the mace’s parade! Happy Thanksgiving Dana!!!
Aww, Happy Thanksgiving to you, too and definitely so much to be thankful for this time of year to be quite honest and yet I did do thankful things with Lizzi weekly and just haven’t had the energy to join in the last few months on the weekends myself.
I hope you have a restful Thanksgiving, Janine, and that all the illnesses are behind you!