Maybe I'm Just a Sap

There are 2 days until Thanksgiving.
In this crazy, commercialized land of plenty of I wants, I will take a moment to list most of that for which I am grateful.

My parents- who are still alive & kicking, relatively healthy, who live a quick 5 minutes' drive away, who are kind, accepting, forgiving & generous, with their money, their time & their hearts.
My siblings & their spouses- who are relatives but also friends who've grown with me & fought with me & laughed with me, who've cried with me & played with me & loved me.
My husband- my partner, my friend, my love who accepts me & challenges me & spoils me, is strong for me, who lets me be me & is always there for me.
My daughters- who love me, need me & hug me, who learn from me & teach me & always make me proud.
My nieces & nephews- who are such a pleasure to see because they are all so charming & talented & smart!
My aunts, uncles & cousins- a vast & varied bunch, they are friendship & a shared history, a sense of belonging to something in a big, wide world.
My Doodle- & even Gary- that's unconditional love through & through, constant companionship & a source of entertainment.
My friends- my cherished peeps with whom I can be myself, be silly, vent my frustrations, get a fresh perspective, lean on for support...they are a crazy & wonderful, essential part of my life.
My country- for freedom, for protected rights, for relative wealth & health & safety...
Our military- for protecting that freedom & preserving that health, wealth & safety, for giving up theirs so that we can enjoy ours.
Firefighters, Police, EMS- our 1st respondants to emergencies, people who risk their lives to save ours every day in every town.
Service people- for doing such oft thankless jobs that few others want to do, washing dishes, making beds, waiting tables, collecting trash, cleaning sewage, & all the other grunge work that gives us such a high quality of life in the US.
Teachers & school staff- for enriching our children's lives, educating the masses, ensuring their safety & well-being while they are in your care.
Doctors & Nurses, medical personell- for taking care of us when we feel our worst as well as when we're at our best, delivering our babies & seeing our grandparents are comfortable in their last days...
Our President (& other government representatives)- for leading our nation to the best of their ability, doing a difficult job amidst much criticism, trying to fulfill their promises & reach compromises so they can do the best they can for those who elected them, for serving with integrity & honor & hope & working everyday to make the country & the worls a better place....

Other things for which I feel thankful....
indoor plumbing
showers
clean drinking water
toothbrushes & toothpaste
soap, shampoo & conditioner
deodorant
refrigeration
safe food sources & plenty of it
household appliances
heat & air conditioning
electricity
automobiles
telephones
medical advances
postal delivery
coffee
books & libraries
trees
changing seasons
computers
clothing
hair coloring & make-up & jewelry (Makes being a girl a lot more fun!)

And because we're so accustomed to taking so much for granted, I'm sure these lists are terribly incomplete.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my 3 readers. :~) Take a moment to appreciate all the joys in this life, work toward extending it beyond our own little bubbles, & pray for peace...