Thankful

It’s Thanksgiving week with this being my favorite holiday which I wrote about in a previous post two years ago. Don’t get me wrong as Thanksgiving isn’t the way it was “back in the day”, but it’s still my fave today providing me with the opportunity to reflect.

Not silly enough to take anything for granted anymore and being in the “Winter” of my life, I certainly know tomorrow is never promised and thankful for being able to be here each day I’m able to wake-up!

I’m thankful for the era I was born and raised in of the 1950’s and 60’s in Arlington and how wonderful our American society was “back in the day”.

Today, 11/24, is the date of my mother’s birth. I’m not allowed to divulge how old she would’ve been today only to say it would be between the numbers 98 and 100. I’m thankful for my parents and the way they raised me providing me with a solid foundation for me to build my life upon. I think of them often and all the lessons I learned from them both good and bad.

I’m so very thankful to still have the ability to think, reflect, and remember which so unfortunately was what led to my mother’s demise due to the plight of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s ability to completely erase one’s memory is so sad with it robbing you of reflection at the stage of your life where you need to reflect. My mother was very accomplished in her life, yet she was robbed of the opportunity to appreciate her accomplishments through reflection.

My father on the other hand, passed away suddenly in his sleep having never spent a day of his adult life in the hospital. No one wants to linger in sickness and suffer as so many are so sadly forced to do. So, upon reflection, I’m thankful for the way my dad was able to pass on having lived a life well-lived.

I’m thankful to have had so many relatives that I was so fond of living so close in those formative years growing up in Arlington and reflecting on all the good times we enjoyed.

I very much enjoyed and am so thankful for the public-school education I received at Wilson Elementary School, Stratford Junior High School, and Washington-Lee High School and thankful for my teachers, coaches, and the many friends I had “back in the day”.

Yes, I’m also thankful for the 52-year career I enjoyed in both the supermarket and transportation industries which provided our family with the financial security we’re fortunate to have today and thankful to La Bear for my leaving the supermarket industry when I did after convincing me it was really just a job and I needed to come home to be with family finally getting my priorities in order.

I’m thankful for all the folks I worked with over the years. Those of you who mentored me, those I may have mentored, all of those who worked so hard and were so loyal dedicated to a common cause, and those with whom I still stay in contact with today.

Being the loner that I am, I’m thankful for the friends who I’ve known since childhood and for all those I’ve been able to reconnect with since my retirement as I wish we could see each other more often than we really do.

Thanks to our four-legged twin girls, Biggs and Bitsy, our Beagles whose looks of love and constant tail-wagging bring so much happiness. Growing up in Colonial Village the only pets you could have were goldfish and parakeets and Christopher was my parakeet whose beautiful chirping still resonates with me today. I’m also so thankful for our other four-legged pups, Scotch, Samantha, Buster, and Betsy and how I enjoyed their companionship.

Of course, I’m most thankful for our small family. I’m thankful and proud of our son, The King, and sincerely appreciate his continuing to live with us at The Compound looking after us and providing us with the security and “peace of mind” knowing he’s close by. I’m thankful and proud of our daughter, Baby Bear, for her lust for life, her compassion, and her unconditional love. I’m thankful and proud to call Big Red our son-in-law who always says “YES” and whose care for us is sincere as is his love and respect for Baby Bear.

I’m so thankful for our little grandson, Master M, and all the joy he brings to me and La Bear daily as we’re so fortunate to look after him each week. He is the reason our life is so full and provides us with the inspiration we need to carry on being in the Winter of our lives. You can’t believe the expression of happiness he brings to our faces each and every time we see him.

I’m thankful for the love of my life, La Bear, her unconditional love, total dedication, and commitment to our family. There’s only one La Bear and I’m so fortunate she’s mine. We make quite a team! Thank you for being the “yin to my yang”, keeping me grounded, always being there, and so loyal.

Unfortunately, the holidays can be an extremely stressful and challenging time for so many people due to loss and circumstances as my heart goes out to them. As I’ve discussed in a previous post, I’m thankful for the simple things in life as we tend to make far too much out of the holidays and what they should mean.

As I reflect on Thanksgiving realizing how fortunate I am and how much I have to be thankful for, I make sure to reread and attempt to understand and interpret the meanings within these two poems–“I Wish You Enough” by Bob Perks and “The Dash” by Linda Ellis–hoping in some small way I’m living a respectful and full life that is well-lived knowing tomorrow is never promised!

Now, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and hope you take the opportunity to reflect on what each of you are thankful for!!