Ten Things to Be Thankful for (And Not What You Might Think)
Coming off a Thanksgiving season I wasn't sure we'd see, led into by watching the movie The Secret, it occurred to me one evening that I did indeed have much to be grateful for as we approached the end of a wild 2010:
1. In today's excruciating economy, having a job, even one where I'm not always treated well. But, do I have muscles now?! Bring it on!
2. Finding a caregivers' support group to help me cope with the chronic illnesses and the resulting negative attitudes of my husband. I've learned there are about 50 million unpaid caregivers in this country, most of them spouses or adult children, laboring with little respite, less help, and fewer thanks. (Some estimates put that number as high as 75 million unpaid caregivers.)
3. Having a much-dwindled stock market retirement account to dip into, in order to buy a small notebook computer during the enforced recuperation of my PC tower. It saved my sanity while four months of no improvement with the PC continued to lengthen in a scary fashion. (Final diagnosis was a failed motherboard, also resulting in replacement of other now non-compatible parts.)
4. Finding the energy to start sorting through the stacks of paper piled up in my writer's office. Even throwing out as few as three sheets of paper a day has made a visible impact. Let me live another decade to complete this task. It is worthy of Hercules!
5. Researching and realizing that some of the prescription medication I've been on for years has made me far more ill than I was ten years ago. Therefore, I've been cutting back on the dosages of my own volition.
6. Comprehending that a dear friend in San Diego area, who only gets TV news from The Weather Channel, is far less stressed about the world outside than I am (though not as well-informed), and it shows in their household's behavior and demeanor.
7. Receiving unusual amounts of rainfall since our sprinkler system broke two months ago and super-busy friends have not yet had time to help us with it.
8. Due to various retailers' discounts, being able to stretch a holiday club savings account (that earned 27 cents in interest) much farther than I could have expected to cover "necessity" purchases. Necessity now includes buying some items from Walmart, including a backpack to start rebuilding my 72-hour emergency kit.
9. Finding an interactive church music player online so I can start relearning my choir alto part without a piano in our home. Perhaps your church has one on their own website or a friend can record your notes for you. It takes practice to tune your ear to a non-melody part.
10. Having an "absent father-stepson" reconnect with his children overseas after we learned the grandson is dying, and enabling their stunned communication. Brownie points in heaven for that one.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shirley_Ann_Parker
1. In today's excruciating economy, having a job, even one where I'm not always treated well. But, do I have muscles now?! Bring it on!
2. Finding a caregivers' support group to help me cope with the chronic illnesses and the resulting negative attitudes of my husband. I've learned there are about 50 million unpaid caregivers in this country, most of them spouses or adult children, laboring with little respite, less help, and fewer thanks. (Some estimates put that number as high as 75 million unpaid caregivers.)
3. Having a much-dwindled stock market retirement account to dip into, in order to buy a small notebook computer during the enforced recuperation of my PC tower. It saved my sanity while four months of no improvement with the PC continued to lengthen in a scary fashion. (Final diagnosis was a failed motherboard, also resulting in replacement of other now non-compatible parts.)
4. Finding the energy to start sorting through the stacks of paper piled up in my writer's office. Even throwing out as few as three sheets of paper a day has made a visible impact. Let me live another decade to complete this task. It is worthy of Hercules!
5. Researching and realizing that some of the prescription medication I've been on for years has made me far more ill than I was ten years ago. Therefore, I've been cutting back on the dosages of my own volition.
6. Comprehending that a dear friend in San Diego area, who only gets TV news from The Weather Channel, is far less stressed about the world outside than I am (though not as well-informed), and it shows in their household's behavior and demeanor.
7. Receiving unusual amounts of rainfall since our sprinkler system broke two months ago and super-busy friends have not yet had time to help us with it.
8. Due to various retailers' discounts, being able to stretch a holiday club savings account (that earned 27 cents in interest) much farther than I could have expected to cover "necessity" purchases. Necessity now includes buying some items from Walmart, including a backpack to start rebuilding my 72-hour emergency kit.
9. Finding an interactive church music player online so I can start relearning my choir alto part without a piano in our home. Perhaps your church has one on their own website or a friend can record your notes for you. It takes practice to tune your ear to a non-melody part.
10. Having an "absent father-stepson" reconnect with his children overseas after we learned the grandson is dying, and enabling their stunned communication. Brownie points in heaven for that one.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shirley_Ann_Parker
posted by global take off at
4:27 AM
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