A list of blessings...

(another note reposted from my previous blog on Facebook... this was written about 8 months ago) 

I wrote this note over the span of several weeks or so, and given the loss recently of a dear friend of many years, I am especially challenged in my heart to be thankful for my many blessings, and to appreciate the things in my life that have so blessed me, ESPECIALLY the people in my life. I am tagging as many people as Facebook will allow me to, because if you are on my friends list, it's because you have touched my life in some way great or small, and I appreciate you for that blessing. :)


I have had an interesting few months (well... actually, sice early 2008, so an interesting year)... many many challenges, but through all of them, I have RElearned one thing: the truism that the one thing that's ultimately under my control is my attitude. I am reminded of a quote from Abraham Lincoln that I read in high school, that "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be". I cannot say I achieve this with uniform success, but it has become a goal to choose to be positive and think positive, no matter the circumstances.

It's so easy in our society (and a struggle in my own mind) to focus on what's frustrating, what's "wrong", what's not going my/our way... so I was thinking recently about some of the good things... things that I love, things I appreciate, things that are good to me. Thought I'd start a list, just START a list, to share with anyone who might care to read it...


-- I love the tenderness and love of my God. I love that the Creator of the universe takes notice of little old me, protects me in His mighty hand, and that He loves me, especially during the times in my life when it has felt like no one else does. I love that He is a constant in my life, that He "never leaves me nor forsakes me". I love that I see Him in every sunset, in every smile, in every act of kindness, and especially working in my heart to make me "a better person" (i.e., more like Him). Much as I wish to be the tiny bit of mirror that reflects just a glimpse of Him to the world, I quite frequently don't reflect Him well, but I take comfort in knowing He loves me anyways. He has gotten me through so much, I can't even describe it.

-- I love the wisdom, wit, and humor of my friends. I love the memories that we have created together... some of you would be surprised to learn how much I remember, the moments that have stuck with me, the smiles you still bring to my face. Some of you, I remember literally the moment we first met, or some small encounter or conversation that embedded itself in my memory for one reason or another. :) I love that I have learned something from each and every one of you reading this, picked up some grain of knowledge or way of being that has enriched my life and me as a person. I love that my friends get my sense of humor, and we feed off of each other in a series of humorous remarks. Even the "quiet ones" make me laugh with such well-chosen words that I am giggling quietly to myself hours later in remembrance. I am reminded of this every time I go to Disneyland with friends... sometimes the banter we get into at Disneyland is the best part of the visit, better in some ways than the rides. :) I remember making the point in a linguistics anthropology class in college that having the same sense of humor is more than just laughing together... it actually speaks to whether you see the world the same way, process information the same way, appreciate the same things. Those moments of humor make me feel so close to my friends. :)

-- I love the grace and style of my female friends. You are each far more beautiful than you will ever realize (inside and out), but the rest of us see it every day. You have taught me so much about all the different ways a woman can touch the lives of those around them, can impact the world, can love other people. You inspire me in many ways, from the tiny (fashion tips) to the huge (the infinite patience some of you moms have!)! :) You give me hope for the future of our world and all that can be done to improve it. You really, honestly are an amazing group of women. If you are reading this and wondering if I mean you... yes, I do. :)

-- I love the strength and kindness of my guy friends. Men get a bad rap from some women, but at least some of us do appreciate you. ;) You have shown me that men and women CAN be friends, and I have been so blessed in the guys I count amongst my friends! Some of you I have known for decades, some of you for weeks or months, but whenever I hear a woman complain that "there are no nice guys out there!", I genuinely object because of all of you guys. :) You give me hope for the future of our world and all that can be done to improve it. You truly are an amazing group of men. If you are reading this and wondering if I'm talking to you, specifically... yes, I am. :)

-- I love living in Southern California. Sure, we pay a "sunshine tax" in the higher cost of some things, but even that is worth it: I have spent much time on the beach here lately, and to sit in February and March on a wide, expansive stretch of smooth soft sand and feel the sun warm in my face and in my heart... I would live here almost just for that. In addition, there are so many wonderful things to counter-balance that and be thankful for: the endless things to do, the wide variety of cultures, the diverse flavors of the many cities/communities, all of the OTHER gorgeous beaches, the beautiful scenery.... I could go on and on. Plus, you may have heard this from me, ;) but did you know I live close enough to Disneyland (a place some only get to go once, if ever) to go all the time??? :)

-- I love living in a country where I am blessed enough to have access to thousands of different kinds of "the arts", whether that be music, visual arts, ceramics, the dramatic arts, architecture... and I get to see the process of creating them, too! :) I now count a soon-to-be-published author, 2 visual-medium artists, people in the dramatic arts, and a few musicians amongst my friends here in CA (in addition to other artists in my family and friends elsewhere), and it's been a treat to get to know such creative minds. Especially here in Southern CA, it seems there are infinite possibilities and varieties of artistic expression... just music alone comes in more flavors than I've ever imagined it. :)

-- I love birthdays. I love the very idea of celebrating the arrival of a person on this earth. I love a birthday party, where friends can gather to celebrate that person! I love that even the most non-mushy person understands it's the day everyone else gets to tell them how much they love them. I love making a fuss over someone, especially anything party-like... when I lived in Seattle, with one group of friends some time ago, we used to hand-make elaborate party hats for the birthday boy/girl to wear when we had in-home birthday parties (or, out to a restaurant if the birthday person was brave!).

-- I love having a cat for the past 11.5 years... adopting her from the Humane Society was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life, she is my first cat ever and she has been a delight. Sometimes I watch her in just quiet amazement, as she is prowling around my room, stalking a toy, watching out the window, sleeping on the bed, or curled up in my lap... she is this tiny little beastie, in some ways more wild than not, but she so clearly loves me and desires my company... I can't explain it, but this just amazes me.

-- I love this amazing tool of connectivity, the internet. I love that I can write a "letter" to a friend half-way around the world and they will get it in minutes. I love that a website like Facebook has reconnected me to friends from decades back that I had lost hope of ever finding again, and makes it so easy to stay in touch. I love that websites like Meetup.com make it easy to find a group of people with similar interests, in my general area, so that I don't have to figure out how to meet people who enjoy whatever subject or activity that I can think of. Whatever the interest, there's probably a group on Meetup.com, and it's made meeting people here so much easier! :)

-- I love all the simple joys in life... the happy sigh of sitting down after being on your feet for a long time, that pleasant feeling of turning on the car heater when it's cold outside, the excitement and nervous thrill of sitting on an airplane as it taxis down the runway and lifts off into the sky, the smell of yummy food cooking that you know you're about to enjoy, a nice hot shower when your muscles are stiff, the happy grins on the faces as you encounter someone you haven't seen in a long time, the smile that my favorite color brings to my face, slipping on a very comfortable pair of shoes, looking up at the stars on a clear night, listening to birds chirruping and singing outside, watching palm trees and flowering bushes waving in the breeze, the beauty of a flower that seems to just be put there for me to admire and appreciate, and that moment of relaxing into a genuine real hug from a friend....


I hope you have your own lists, and I invite and encourage you to write them. :) May we all be blessed to COUNT our blessings, especially lately. :)