Giving thanks
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Wait. I set out to write a "Thanksgiving" column, and the lyrics from "The Sound of Music" come to mind.
But I guess the two subjects are sort of related. Because when it comes to my list of things to be thankful for, I guess I could also call that list a "few of my favorite things."
You might not be in the Thanksgiving frame of mind yet, since it's a week away. But by the time you get next week's paper — it's coming out on Wednesday and won't get to homes in the mail until Friday — that will be too late for any more Thanksgiving musings.
By then, you'll probably be knee-deep in thoughts about Christmas shopping.
So for now, at the risk of excess sappiness, here are a few things that I'm grateful for — in no particular order.
— Pets. I love 'em. I'm thankful for my mom's Boston Terrier, Maggie, who always tries to lick me to death when I come home for a visit — that is, when she's not bringing me an endless supply of squeaky toys and slobbery rawhides.
And I'm thankful for my two cats, who've lived with me for three months after a stint at the Caring Hands Humane Society in Newton. I'm thankful for Bill, who wakes me up every morning by rattling the window shades and meowing for his breakfast. And I'm thankful for Gracie, who always comes running when I sing to her.
— My car. Sure, it was made in 1989, but it's been Old Reliable for me since I got it three years ago. The driver's seat may be tearing in places, but it's never given me major problems. And that's after two trips to South Carolina, two trips to Colorado, and one trip to Idaho pulling a heavy, heavy U-Haul trailer.
— My job. It's just like any job, with its ups and downs. I don't like it when people are rude to me, and I don't like working weekends.
But I get to write and get paid for it. I get to go to basketball games and get paid for it. I get to be creative and get paid for it. I'm pretty lucky.
— Mountains. There's something about driving through Rocky Mountain National Park or standing in front of the Grand Teton that changes your perspective on things. And America has plenty of amazing peaks.
— Funny stuff. Life would be pretty bleak without laughter. I'm thankful for the weird stuff of life that makes me laugh every day. Thankful for bizarre Web sites and "Whose Line is it Anyway?"
So that's my list — at least, a partial one, anyway. I'm sure you've got your own. Next week might be a good time to dust it off and think about life's blessings.
Happy Thanksgiving.
— JENNIFER WILSON
