Siblings Birthdays

by Cynthia, posted in Friends and Family

Today is my aunt Madaline’s 96th birthday. Had my mom lived, it would also have been hers. Obviously, they were twins. Even into their 90s they still looked so much alike that people who didn’t know them well would mistake one for the other. We always got a laugh out of that.

Aunt Madaline is the introvert; mom was the extrovert. Both had a positive outlook on life and laughed often, as did their father, who had a booming laugh with eyes that sparkled when he smiled. Both were generous with their time and talents. Born in Kansas, they always reminded me of sunflowers, always “turning toward the light.”

It wasn’t until I moved my mother in with me and started helping her prepare birthday cards and gifts for her siblings that I came to the realization of the siblings’ birth dates. I was fascinated when I found that July and August 14 were the female siblings’ birth dates. March and April 24 were the male siblings birth dates. These days ending in fours make it easy for me to carry on the tradition of acknowledging my aunts’ and uncles’ birthdays – at least the ones on my mother’s side of the family.  Of the five of them, three are still living and in relatively good health.

The youngest was my Uncle Campbell. When he turned 89, he told my mom, who was a hospice patient, that she had to hold on until he turned 90 so all of them could be in the 90s together. He made it to 90 in March, just a couple of months before mom passed away late in May. We all got such a kick out of him. As with my grandfather, Uncle Campbell loved life, laughed often, and made friends everywhere he went.  We lost him in December last year, the same year my mom passed. I found that somewhat ironic.

Last month I took brunch to the youngest sister and middle sibling to celebrate her birthday. She had married a farmer, so her life was much different from the twins’ lives. My mother and aunt Madaline worked outside of the home – mom, part time. Madaline and her husband, a WWII veteran who is 99, owned a flower shop and a department store in a small town in Kansas, before moving to the city where my parents lived. The “boys” were a Navy captain and a business executive, respectively.  These siblings were close even though they lived in different states and sometimes in different countries.

On my daddy’s side, only one sibling is still living. She is a beautiful 83-year-old who looks like a 65-year-old. She loves to entertain, getting special dish ideas off Pinterest to fit the occasion. We celebrated her July 2 birthday this year with a tropical-themed brunch. (I make a point *not* to use the patriotic theme for her birthday each year.) It was a privilege to host her, her husband, and my cousins for a small gathering in Aunt Kathy’s honor. She is an amazing woman!

Of course, I like to celebrate my own siblings, too. Sadly, our brother is no longer with us physically but remains in our hearts. My sister and my sister-in-love make a point to touch base frequently – sometimes multiple times a day! While birthday gifts are no longer as important as they once were, acknowledgement in even more so. The older we get, the more we appreciate the gift of family … and of friends.

Saying happy birthday is just another way to say, “You are important to me. I love you.”

Earn Your Wings

by sssmahh303, posted in Wellness

Mary Ann

When I was a little girl, my mother would always say that when I did a kindness, I was earning my wings.  I had no ideas what she was talking about until one day I realized I was earning my angel wings, a place in heaven.  Boy, was that an epiphany! 

We are living in a world where kindness is a vanishing commodity.  There are still very kind people who go out of their way to help you.  However, there is a lot of cruelty in the world and just plain meanness.  They are not earning their wings.  

We need to have grace with one another.  It makes life a bit easier when we do.  Etienne de Grellet famous quote summarizes this way of living.  “I shall pass this way but once; any good that I can do or any kindness I can show to any human being: let me do it now.  Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”  Imagine if we all lived by that advice.  No Hunger, No War, No Poverty, No Hate, No Bullying, No Hurt….

I have been blessed with kind people in my life, and I try hard to be kind to those in my orbit.  As they say in the south, my life has been “an embarrassment of riches!”  If, I ever win the lottery, I would have such great joy giving most of it away to help the world.  Wouldn’t that be fun to make that happen?

 When I look back on my life, there is an incident that showed me what real kindness is.  I was perusing an antique shop, and my eyes landed on a cherry dresser that had 7 mirrors on it, and it was instantly love at first sight.  What beautiful lady stood before this gorgeous piece of furniture when it was newly made?  Well, I asked the shop owner how much it was.  He said $1600.  It might as well be $160,000.  I was just recently divorced, and I had to provide for two children.  Teaching did not pay enough to allow such a luxury.  However, the owner said that the dresser was a consignment piece, and the owner of it was picking it up later in the week. I could talk to her and see if she would sell it for less. 

So, I returned to the shop and met the lady who owned the dresser.  I asked her if she were willing to sell it for less.  She asked what I could pay.  I pulled $500 out of the air knowing the piece was worth so much more. She said if I would give her $600, the dresser was mine.  Well, $600 was also impossible for me to buy it, and I told her.  She said that if I could send her $50 a month until it was paid off, I could have the dresser.  This lady did not know me from Adam, yet she took a chance.  She was trusting a young woman who fell in love with her antique dresser. 

I came to know that she herself was a former teacher, divorced, and raised her children by herself. She had walked in my shoes and knew it was like to not to have much money.  She wanted someone who loved the dresser to have it.  That was me!  For the following year, I sent a check each month and at the end of the year, the dresser was mine.  I still have that beloved antique and forty years later, I have never forgotten the kindness that was extended to me.  It may be just a piece of furniture, yet it actually was so much more.  It was one person touching the heart of another, a lesson to remember for a lifetime.  I have tried to pass this particular kindness on by giving most of the antiques that I no longer needed or wanted to someone who would love them. They are gifts! 

So when you hear someone speak about passing kindness forward, remember when someone was kind to you, keep it in your heart, and earn your angel wings for a better world!!

Cleaning Out the Closet

by Cynthia, posted in Taking Care of Business

Do you have this dilemma? I have plenty of clothes. My closet is full. Yet when it comes time to get dressed, I cannot find anything to wear.  I even shop for outfits; that is, when I am deciding what to purchase, I make a point to find two or three tops for a pair of pants, shorts, or a skirt.  I think I am being organized, and travel packing is easier. Still …. well, you get the picture.

So summer is in full swing and still I have not repositioned my clothes for easier access. Of course I have the added challenge of having moved my linens from another closet to make room for my grandchildren’s clothes. (One lives with me full time; the other when she is in the mood. Both have their own rooms at my house. But that is another story.)

I have boxes and boxes of shoes that likely will not be worn again, but I can’t bring myself to get rid of them. I have several tops that are nice but that have not been worn for a couple of years. There are dresses that I “may” need one day. And, oh, those jackets, ponchos, and pullovers for winter that were useful once upon a time. All this in addition to the fact that I donated my professional clothes – suits, blouses, slacks, jackets – to Suited for Success soon after I retired eight years ago!

Last year I got the bright idea to put a tag on each hanger.  When I wore an item, I removed the tag and the item stays in the closet. At the end of the season, those items with tags still on their hangers were to be donated.  It was a brilliant idea! And it worked – sort of.

I’m disgustingly organized, too. One rack has long-sleeved blouses, sorted by color; another short-sleeved and sleeveless, also sorted by color. The pant rack is divided with hanging labels (yes, I made labels!) for shorts, capris, summer slacks, winter slacks, summer sweats, winter sweats, jeans, and athletic pants. Dresses, nightgowns, and robes are in the taller space. Shelves hold shoes in their original boxes, labels facing out to remind me what is in each.  Still, my closet feels messy and I can’t find something to wear!  It’s time to pull everything out and start again!

So how do I attack this project? Wendy Rose Gould in Real Simple suggests first, set a goal – how much do I want to clean out? Deciding on an amount ahead of the project may seem too confining. However, with an amount in mind it takes some of the emotion out of clearing. Next, gather boxes and trash bags to immediately place pieces for donations, resell, repair, and trash. 

As I look at each item, I can ask myself: Do I enjoy wearing this? Does it make me feel comfortable and attractive? When will I wear the item? With what will I wear it. Would I love to wear this if I have something to complement it? Kaitlyn Yarborough wrote in Southern Living that she uses the Rule of 3.  If she can’t visualize wearing the item in at least three different ways, it’s out. In this way I suppose you are setting an intention for donning the item in the coming weeks. As for those clothes that are too big or too small, get rid of them. I once bought a dress I adored but I needed to lose about an inch in the waste for it to fit properly. That dress hung in my closet for several years before I finally concluded it was never going to fit. It would fit someone – just not me.

Another challenge is “Why am I holding on to this item that I haven’t worn?”  Was it a gift, thus I feel guilty about ridding myself of it, even though I have not enjoyed wearing it?  Is it an item I wore for a special occasion or on a memorable trip? By identifying the nostalgic reason opposed to the practical I will wear this when …. I can more easily put it in the donation pile.  I can take a picture of it, if I don’t already have one, and thus remember the item without leaving it unused and taking up space. Kaitlyn suggests an “Outbox” much as email uses.  Put sentimental clothes that are those you are not sure of into a temporary storage box and put it away.  If you don’t go to it in a month or two, it is time to donate the items.

And then there is the item you love but it has to be dry cleaned or it must be treated carefully in the laundry, so you put off wearing it for days you are out and about. Especially now that I am at home several days of the week, I don’t wear high-maintenance clothes for cooking, cleaning, reading, writing, and gardening. I even find myself wondering if it is worth “dirtying” the outfit for a one-and-a-half hour meeting. In this case I really have to decide if I want to keep the item … and wear it!

Now, there are those items I love to wear but really, really need to go – and probably not into the donate pile, if you know what I mean. How many pants and shirts do I need to pull weeds, paint, or just lazy around?

Finally, just do it! Looking at the messy closet, overthinking and procrastinating do nothing to help move the project along. The clothes are washed and ironed, so I need to pull things out of my closet, instead of telling you how to approach this task. Wish me luck!

The God of the Woods

by Cynthia, posted in Reviews

By Liz Moore

“The God of the Woods,” an evocative title that promises myth, mystery, and a haunting exploration of both landscape and psyche, is a literary work that draws readers into the tangled, shadowed depths of a story both timeless and timely.  The narrative unfolds in layers, blending perspectives: the grieving family, a relentless investigator, the insular townsfolk, and the enigmatic presence rumored to haunt the forest’s depths. Each voice adds texture to the central mystery, deepening our sense of unease and fascination. The novel deftly balances suspense with introspection; the woods are not just a place of external danger, but of internal reckoning.

“The God of the Woods” boasts a cast of deeply drawn characters, each grappling with their own secrets and sorrows. Some of the characters are likeable; many the reader will love to loathe. The story of a child missing for fourteen years anxieties is woven skillfully into flashbacks and recollections. And now, another child has gone missing.

The investigator, often an outsider in the community, brings with her a quiet determination and a past of her own. Her dogged pursuit of truth serves as a catalyst for the community’s unravelling.

Townsfolk, from the eccentric hermit rumored to commune with spirits, to the stoic schoolteacher who knows more than she reveals, offers a rich tapestry of motives and memories. The shifting perspectives grant the reader both intimacy and distance; we are drawn into each character’s world, yet always aware of the secrets that separate them.

Suspense is a constant, simmering presence in “The God of the Woods.” The mystery at its heart is not just “whodunit,” but “whydunit”—the motivations and histories that drive people to desperate ends. Clues emerge slowly, sometimes in the form of half-remembered dreams or local legends that may or may not be true.  When the resolution comes, it is both surprising and inevitable — a testament to the author’s skill in planting seeds early on and allowing them to ripen naturally. The ending is satisfying without being simplistic; it honors the complexity of grief, forgiveness, and the enduring pull of the wild.

In sum, “The God of the Woods” is a masterful exploration of mystery, memory, and myth. Its lush prose, complex characters, and haunting setting coalesce into a work that is as much about the secrets we keep as it is about the ones we seek to uncover. It is a novel that lingers like the scent of pine after rain—an invitation to wander, to wonder, and to listen for the voices in the trees.

For readers drawn to atmospheric fiction where place and psyche intertwine, “The God of the Woods” is not to be missed. It is a tale that honors the wildness within us all—and reminds us that, in the end, the greatest mysteries are those we carry inside.

4H

by sssmahh303, posted in Lifestyle

Mary Ann

Throughout your life, you become members of different organizations and clubs.  It may be Girl or Boy Scouts, fraternities or sororities, church groups, Kiwanis, Rotary, VFW, book clubs, sport teams, and on and on.  All of them have influenced you in some way adding to the fabric of your life. It is our tribe or community.  It is a place where we belong. 

As I look back on my life, I belonged to many clubs, but the one organization that really influenced my life and helped me become who I am was the 4H.  I think most people think of 4H as a farmer’s club, and it does have famers.  However, it is far more than that. 

I was in 6th grade and joined the Dog Husbandry Club that was sponsored by the Purina Company and run by our local commissioner who had a rescue center for unwanted animals.  We were lucky to have such a caring man lead us.

 My brother, Timmy, and I loved our English and Irish Setters, so this club was made for us.  We learned about grooming, feeding, training, and showing our dogs.  We learned about responsibility with charts that depicted our hours devoted to training and grooming, and we would post the amount of feed we used to care for our dogs.  We would have a local dog show in the spring and a County 4H fair dog show later in the summer.  We demonstrated our mastery of skills at those shows.

As I grew older, I would do demonstrations about canine care – Primp Up Pooch or First-Aid for Pooch.  It gave me experience in public speaking, a skill I have used my whole life.  I would later become the club’s president, so I was learning leadership skills in that role.  My role expanded with the following years.  In my senior year of high school, I became a Keystone Winner representing the state of Pennsylvania at the National 4H Conference in Chicago, IL, 

We stayed at the Conrad Hilton – a big change for a small-town girl!   What an experience to be with hundreds of 4Hers representing their states.  Big cooperations like Ford or General Motors sponsored banquets for us, Miss America spoke, and we were guests of the city at their various attractions such as the Field Museum and a night club called The Cheetah.  It was truly a life-changing experience for me – there was a big world out there that I wanted to see. 

 4H gave me opportunities and experiences that have lasted a lifetime and shaped the person I have become.  I always loved the 4H Pledge. It is a meaningful way to live one’s life, and each leave of the clover represents a different H – head, heart, hands, and health.  It has always stayed with me, and I can readily recite it.   Let me share it with you.

4H Pledge

I pledge my head to clearer thinking,

My heart to greater loyalty,

My hands to larger service, 

And my health to better living, 

For my club, my community, my country, and my world.

What a positive way to live life!  However, the 4H Motto is what has been a true North Star in my life.  It is To Make the Best Better.  Whatever I have undertaken, I have tried to make it even better. The 4H gifted a pledge and a motto that has shaped my life, and I am so thankful for those words.  

Meal Train

by Cynthia, posted in Friends and Family

Yesterday, I dropped off food for the family of a friend who has just become a hospice patient.  I enjoy cooking.  I guess you could say it is my love language. So this was an opportunity to share my love and caring for my friend and her family.

How did this come about?  A few days ago I received an email from Meal Train. At first I thought it was a phishing email, but I noticed three of my friends received the same message. So I called one of them. She had the same question and was about to call a friend of the potential recipient. Unfortunately, it was not a scam. The request was legitimate. I mention this to say it might be a good idea first to let people know the friend or loved one is having medical issues. But I digress.

Meal Train is an online service on which one can easily set parameters in a request for help. Information such as food allergies and restrictions, acceptable drop-off times, and number of people for whom you are providing meals can be entered.  Suggested gift cards to restaurants and even cash donations can be requested.  The idea is to make it easy for the volunteers to know how to help.  The organizer sets up dates and times for delivery.

One nice feature is that everyone who has been invited to participate can see what everyone else is providing. I found that helpful to ensure I didn’t duplicate foods that someone else had already provided or planned to. The recipients get to experience a lot of different dishes.

We always say “please let me know how I can help.” But the person who is ill rarely will ask.  Sometimes they don’t want to put others out. Sometimes, they simply don’t know what they need. For the friends, we wonder how much is helpful and how much is an intrusion during difficult times. With the Meal Train, most of the questions are answered in a polite and efficient manner.

Meal Train sends tips and reminders once you sign up.  If participants read those messages, the information is valuable. One tip that wasn’t made clear but which I know I appreciated when I had help, was to take the food in containers that can be used to heat the food and then simply toss it. No one wants to spend hours in the kitchen away from the loved one. So many affordable disposable options are available, making it easy for both the recipient and the volunteer. In fact, I keep aluminum foil baking pans, “paper” bowls, and heavy disposable flatware on hand. Whenever someone leaves my house with leftovers, I don’t have to worry about getting my dishes back and they don’t have to worry about returning them. Win. Win.

Looking for more information I found other sites that provide similar services. Some of those are Give In Kind, SignUp Genius,  Care Calendar, Lotsa Helping Hands, and Take Them A Meal. Likely there are many others. Find a site, as these do, that allows you to set up a schedule at no charge.

Next time you need to organize meal deliveries to family and friends, consider using one of these sites. Once set up, coordinating and volunteering are easy, efficient, and very helpful.  Choo choo. I’m hopping on the Meal Train!

Nagomi

by Cynthia, posted in Wellness

A few days ago I reflected on the goal of having purpose in one’s life, giving meaning.   I guess I have entered a reflective period as today I am thinking of the philosophy of balance and achieving a harmonious life.  In Japanese culture, this concept is nagomi.

Kevin Dickinson on Big Think describes nagomi as “blending seemingly disparate elements until they form a unified, harmonious whole.”  This sounds like a delightful perspective, yet a challenging concept to implement.  How do we maintain our values and morals and achieve peace in a world that consistently throws negativity, anger, and opposition at us?

Kenichiro Mogi, has written a book describing how the Japanese have internalized a life perspective that helps achieve personal balance. It is about harmony, sustainability, and being agreeable. Ken suggests that Japanese people are “very good at being successful but at the same time keeping a low profile.”

In their food, for example, mixing elements from different origins yields delicious dishes. Mogi gives the example of Katsu curry. The cutlet is a French meat dish, the curry is Indian, and rice is Japanese.  Bringing together these disparate elements into one satisfying meal offers pleasure which in turns provides a sense of satisfaction. This example while simple is not meant to trivialize the concept of nagomi.

Mogi, a senior researcher at Sony Labs, is also a visiting professor at the University of Tokyo. In his book he presents how nagomi is manifested in nine areas of life: relationships, food, health, self, society, nature, creativity, and lifelong learning. He offers examples of nagomi in each of these areas.

I found this an interesting concept and fundamentally similar to my own Seven Wheels model for balanced living. Rather than nine focus areas, the model I developed has, well, seven. They are labeled: Physical, Emotional, Professional, Relationships, Self Expression, Intellectual, and Spiritual. Of course each area has a depth that is not fully described in the naming convention. My annual goal setting touches each of these facets to ensure I am achieving well-rounded experiences.

At times, it is easy to spend all your energy in one aspect of your life, only to discover later that something is missing. To achieve equanimity we move gently back into those areas we have neglected. Doing so brings our lives into balance. We realize that the whole is more effective than the sum of the parts. Thus, we find ourselves more balanced and our lives in harmony with our environment.

I guess it somewhat boils down to a positive and focused outlook on life.  I recall a song from childhood – you may have sung it, also. “This little light of mine. I’m going to let it shine.”

It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

Purpose and Meaning

by Cynthia, posted in Taking Care of Business

Many people find themselves at retirement without a clue as to what comes next. Most people believe they have planned for retirement. Money has been socked away. Investments made. Assets inventoried and in a lot of cases homes are debt free. Retirement planning often has singularly focused on the financial wellness of our expected work-free life.

We may even have had random thoughts about “when I retire I will …” travel, spend more time with family and friends, read more, garden, and so on. Yet, how often did we truly think about how we would spend each day? More importantly, how many people thought about their purpose in life.  Has one’s purpose changed as we no longer have the role as a professional.

Personally, I never defined myself by my job. Still, leading a team as a university executive gave me some level of purpose.  I knew what I would be doing Monday through Friday, and frankly all week. I knew for several hours each day others depended on me to show up, make decisions, support and encourage, and lead. I was visible in the community, sitting on numerous non-profit boards, volunteering, and fund-raising.

Admittedly, as I reached my 60s, I was tired. I was ready to slow down, to step aside and let the younger people take the responsibility. I planned a two-week vacation, leaving two days after my last day of work, knowing that on Monday morning I may wonder “what shall I do today?” Still, it didn’t occur to me that after a few weeks of not being required to be somewhere, for someone day in and day out, that I might need some direction in my life.

Twenty years ago I bought – or was given — The Second Half of Life by Angeles Arrien. The assumption is that once we reach age 50 it is time to begin to reflect on our lives – what has been and what will be. At 50, I was still extremely active, healthy, and out to conquer the world. The book was placed on the bookshelf and left unopened until recently. Now, glancing through it I find a reflective, spiritual orientation to what to do with my life as I journey toward and through the final transition. The golden gate. But I digress.

Dr. Robert Butler, the first director of the National Institute on Aging, led a study on the correlation of life expectancy with individuals who had a sense of purpose and meaning in their lives. He and his collaborators found that people lived longer and were healthier when they felt their sense of purpose.  Since that 2014 study, numerous additional studies have been conducted that validate these results.

Richard Leider, who is reputed to be one of the leading executive coaches in America, has created a questionnaire that offers an individual insight into his or her sense of purpose.  If you are interested in exploring this approach, you can find the survey at this link:

Click to access The-Purpose-Checkup.pdf

Your purpose need not be grandiose. Your purpose in life is a part of who you are – your values, morals, interests. It is found within you.  Living as your authentic self, spending your time and energy on those things that “put you in your happy place” leads to a happier you.  Whatever you enjoy and engage in, living your purpose will give your life meaning.

The Year of the Penguin

by sssmahh303, posted in Reviews

Mary Ann 

Every year to celebrate Earth Day, Disney with National Geographic produces a nature film on a particular animal – elephants or big cats or polar bears.  This year they did a three-part series on penguins – such delightful little creatures!  Their very survival is a challenge in every aspect.  Yet, they seem to do it with such a good attitude, a lesson for us all.  

There was also another film this spring about a penguin that was both charming and captivating.  The Penguin Lessons is a true story about a professor, Tom Michell, from an elite boy’s school, St. George’s, in Argentina during a fascist regime in the 1970s.  The professor, a bit of a curmudgeon, is adopted by a penguin that he saves from an oil spill while on a trip to Uruguay.    When you are claimed by penguin as one of his peeps, you do not have much choice but to bring it home with you.  This is where the story unfolds.

The penguin, Juan Salvador, captures the hearts of everyone he encounters, even taming Michell’s unruly English class. Juan Salvador is a great listener to Michell, the cleaning lady Maria, and eventually the headmaster himself.  It was time to end the no pet rule.  Michell played by Steve Coogan and Jonathan Pryce as Headmaster Buckle are naturals for these leading roles and masterfully portray their characters.  However, Juan Salvador steals the show in every scene he is in. 

This film is far from an animal special.  There is an underlying story of the plight of the Argentinian people during a dictatorship.  Thousands of people disappeared off the streets and were never seen again.  This storyline is portrayed by Maria the cleaning lady and her granddaughter Sofia, a political activist, giving other penguin lessons that are applicable to our world today.

I love independent films – good stories, fine acting, low budget, and usually smacking with charm in one way or another.  For the most part they are shown in small, unique theaters throughout the country from the Angelika in NYC to local renovated ones, often a hidden gem, in your local community.  You should seek one out to see films like The Penguin Lessons and feel the magic in the dark.   

Gratitude

by Cynthia, posted in Lifestyle

For what are you grateful today?

Today I am grateful for the ability to write what is on my mind and to share it with others whom I have never met. Today I am grateful for my health, while it isn’t at the level it was even five years ago, I am able to get up each morning and go about my daily habits. Today I am grateful that I have clean water to drink, a comfortable home in which to live, and healthy food on my table.  I could go on and on. My heart is full of gratitude today.

Pondering the concept of gratitude I realize how often we compare ourselves to others and think “why can’t I have ____ “. Recently I was reminded of how far we have come in a society based on electronics. I observe young people with their faces constantly in their phones and their mantras of “I don’t make enough money,” and “I’m not thin enough” or “my face isn’t as clear as I want it to be” and this list grows. We have learned to compare ourselves and our lives to the others, as they have posted online.

This led me to remember the COVID-19 lockdown, which was five years ago, now.  There is no denying the disease was horrible for many, many people. WHO reports an excess mortality rate of three million people, worldwide, 1.8 million deaths were reported from 2020 alone. Worldometer reported more than seven million deaths by mid-April 2024.  Reports are no longer being updated as reporting has almost stopped.  Some health care workers say the reporting was inaccurate. Still, we cannot deny the epidemic was frightening and life-threatening for many.

Why do I drop this bomb in the middle of a discussion on gratefulness? Because many people stayed healthy throughout the epidemic. I note that as devastating as the lockdown was for individuals and our economy, those of us left to complain can’t seem to let go. It occurred to me how lucky I am to live in a country that cared enough for “my” well-being, that everything they knew to do at the time was done to protect me and my family.  As good parents do for their ungrateful children, our country made decisions based on the knowledge leaders had at the time. We do not know what would have been different had we not limited our face-to-face interactions. But that is behind us now. Instead of complaining about how my life changed due to those couple of years, I am grateful to live in a country where I can voice my opinion, choose to vaccinate or not, and continue to live my life.

Today I am grateful to have intelligent, caring friends with whom I can discuss issues on which we disagree and remain respectful and appreciative of our relationships. I am grateful for the United States Postal Service that will take a card across the country to let a friend or family member know I am thinking of them.  I am grateful for Amazon, the warehouse workers and the delivery drivers who bring things right to my doorstep.

I am grateful that I can sit outside or stay in – that I have a choice. I am grateful when my grands help clear the table and clean the kitchen or carry out the garbage. I am grateful for my niece who occasionally and randomly sends me a text message just to let me know she is thinking about me.

I am grateful that I have learned not only to be grateful, but to have the ability to think about gratitude.  It lifts my spirits, even to the point of making me smile. In each of our lives every day there is something for which we can be grateful, if only we take a moment to name it.  For what are you grateful today?