I’ve noticed that as Thanksgiving approaches, I’m seeing more and more posts involving gratitude. I love this. I love the idea of being grateful, and while I try and maintain an attitude of gratitude all year long, I have to confess that I’m often bogged down in the little things—the things that detract from me realizing every single day how lucky I am. Because I am.
As Thanksgiving approaches, I find myself reflecting on all of the things I have to be thankful for. As Thanksgiving approaches, I’ll be writing a “thankful” post every day. Join me if you’d like. Sure, it might seem cheesy or contrived, but this year, more than ever, I realize just how much I have to be thankful for.
For my first thankful post, I want to express gratitude for the little things that make my life happier. I am thankful for a comfy pillow and warm blankets. I’m thankful for cable (don’t judge me!) and my big TV. I’m grateful that I have coffee at my disposal every single day, and for the joy that a warm, yummy, cup of caffeine provides my day. I am thankful for my iPhone, and for the people it allows me to stay in touch with. Even Twitter, blogging and Facebook—lame, annoying and silly as they are—improve my life, and I am happy to have them around. I am thankful for crisp apples and Greek yogurt, for Thai food and salads and chocolate, sweet chocolate. I am thankful for a car to drive that works most of the time. I am thankful for clean water to drink and for Diet Coke in the afternoon. I am grateful for my faux UGGS that keep my toes warm and for tights and big necklaces. I am thankful for G-chat and email. I am thankful for sunny afternoons and chilly evenings. I am thankful for summers nights spent outside and for winter mornings curled up under blankets.
I am grateful for all of the tiny moments, with seemingly insignificant things that make my life so much sweeter.
I’d love to read a comment about something that is small that you are thankful for. What “little things” make your life better?
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What a lovely post! I’m thankful for the Internet, because I can stay in touch with my family and friends back in England, listen to radio from back home and download all sorts of goodies. I’m thankful for people that do good in the world to help others. I’m thankful for the wonderful relationship I have with my dad. I’m also thankful for the two most important people in my life, my fiance and my best friend, who had been in my life years ago and after going our separate ways for years, both came back and now I have the most wonderful man about to be my husband, and the best friend a girl could ask for. I’m thankful for the people who’ve given me my confidence back when I had none. And I’m thankful for all the friends I’m making as of late by blogging, and everyone who reads my little page
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By Emily Jane on 11.20.09 7:19 am | Permalink
Not lame to be thankful for blogging and twitter; it was brought some cool people in your life.
I am thankful for the health of family and friends and my leopard print snuggie.
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By lemmonex on 11.20.09 7:36 am | Permalink
I’m thankful for wonderful friends. I’m grateful for the time and chance to laugh with (and sometimes at) the people that make my world a good one. I’m grateful for having a job that has more good than bad. I’m grateful for the chance to learn more every day. I’m thankful for the opportunities my parents worked so hard to get me, and for my family, full stop. I’m grateful for the lessons I’ve learned, even if I don’t always feel grateful for the experiences that taught me. I’m thankful for the choices I’ve made and the freedom to make them. I’m grateful for chocolate, because where would we be without happiness in a square?
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By sarah on 11.20.09 7:42 am | Permalink
DUDE. If it wasn’t for blogging and twitter, I may have never met you! Not silly to be thankful for those things.
I’m thankful to have this first year of my little family’s life together before he’s deployed. Thanksgiving (even though he works), Christmas (even though he works), Dublin’s birthday (even though he’s gone for two weeks during that time for Army training), his birthday and our anniversary. At least we get a lot of “firsts” together before he leaves.
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By barbetti on 11.20.09 8:11 am | Permalink
I’m thankful for those first few sips of strong coffee in the morning. For sitting here in the semi-darkness under the twinkly lights over my desk connecting with my online world. For watching the Fall sun shoot through the living room blinds and dance upon the head of my Buddha bust. Thankful for teachers like you (and my Dad back in the day) who rise every morning to head off to their classrooms to engage with kids and inspire them. Thankful for pals like you.
xo
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By Marilyn on 11.20.09 8:39 am | Permalink
I’m thankful for good teeth, for a sense of humor and for a new car.
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By Kim on 11.20.09 8:52 am | Permalink
Wonderful post! I’m thankful for puppy kisses and the oh-so-occasional dog snuggle, the best friends anyone could ever ask for, sexy scarves, and warm fingerless gloves (yes, they really are warm).
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By Ari on 11.20.09 9:25 am | Permalink
I always love these lists. Mine includes peppermint mochas, beer, and cheese toast. And, yes, you can eat everything on that list.
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By Moose on 11.20.09 9:33 am | Permalink
I’m with you on the cable and TV! But also, I’m thankful for friends, the Internet, wine, the fact that I have a job in this economy, and my senses. Not in the, “you’ve finally come to your senses” way, but literally my 5 senses. Think how much different and how many things would be lost if we couldn’t hear, see, etc.
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By Angel on 11.20.09 9:41 am | Permalink
I am thankful for my freedom of speech, and my beautiful daughter.
I am thankful that my exhusband and I are such good friends.
I am thankful for squirrels.
I am thankful for happily married couples that restore my hope/faith in marriage
I am thankful that no matter how bad a day seems, the next morning I ALWAYS am able to wake up cheerful!
I am also quite thankful for this blog!
Love ya Amy!
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By Juley on 11.20.09 10:20 am | Permalink
I’m thankful for the fact that my effed-up leg still works and gets me around. Walking = awesome.
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By Jaka Merriman on 11.20.09 10:29 am | Permalink
-G-chat
-This little, off-beat political message board that I’ve been part of for four years now, where I have met people who are now very good friends, and it’s a place on the internet I can go, no matter how bad my day is. This feels silly to say sometimes, but the place means a lot of me.
-The West Wing, L&O SVU, and House on DVD
The usual stuff of friends and family and my job, of course, but the above are some of the more “shallow” ones that came to mind.
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By Rachel on 11.20.09 10:41 am | Permalink
Oh, I love this idea. Actually, I was already onboard with you before I even read this post! I have planned a few posts for next week when I’m away. One of them includes a random list of things I’m thankful for. Stay tuned. In the meantime, some of the things I’m thankful for this week…
*my phone
*UNC basketball
*survivor
*feeling like I found a treasure when I bought concert tickets this week
*today being my last day of work before my week-long Thanksgiving break
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By SoMi's Nilsa on 11.20.09 11:11 am | Permalink
I am thankful that today is Friday and that in less than a week my family will all be coming up to Chicago for Thanksgiving. Nothing cheers me up like the idea of spending time with my family
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By Abby on 11.20.09 2:21 pm | Permalink
Its not a little thing, but my husband? He makes me very happy.
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By Jill Pilgrim on 11.20.09 4:46 pm | Permalink
I am thankful for my beautiful, relaxing queen-sized bed that my mom surprised me with 2 years ago.
I am thankful for the way two-year-olds dance. It just makes me laugh and brightens my day!
I am thankful for blog friends.
I am thankful for chocolate.
I am thankful for Weight Watchers.
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By Stephany on 11.20.09 6:31 pm | Permalink
with all the busy-ness (or is it business…a little help english major?) of life/work/the coming holiday season, i forget to take a minute to stop and be thankful.
so, with that in mind, i am thankful for…
*friends that amuse, inspire and encourage me with their stories and ideas
*family that lives nearby and visits often
*six-year-old kiddos and their infectious enthusiasm
*weekends to recover from managing the aforementioned enthusiasm
*our little home/money-pit and all the moments we”ve had here so far
*netflix for filling the cable-tv-shaped hole in my heart
*gummi bears (so good…especially the pineapple ones)
*hot tea on chilly mornings
*chilled twelve-packs (yes, multiple packs) of diet coke in my fridge
*a husband who makes me happy daily…and puts up with my ‘organized clutter’, sheet-stealing and occasional womb-yearnings
thanks for the reminder that i have a lot to be thankful for…whether i realize it or not. love you friend.
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By Jill on 11.20.09 9:57 pm | Permalink
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