I’ve been thinking a lot about gratitude lately. Seems like the older one gets, the more one has to be grateful for. Or perhaps it’s more a matter of as one gets old, one becomes more aware of the truly important things in life. Either way, I feel it’s a good idea to take stock, every once in a while, and say a small prayer of thanks to the Gods for bestowing me with my good fortune. So here I go.
* I’m grateful for the husband who tolerates, more or less, my love of animals, and allows me the occasional indulgence, like those abandoned injured ducks I wanted to bring home from the park. “They’ll wreck the garden!” he said. They did! But he let me install a larger pond for them anyway.
* I’m grateful for the thirteen years I had with my beloved cat Junebug, who made me laugh with her antics, and broke my heart when she died. It was thirteen years I’ll treasure always.
* I’m grateful for the horse who keeps me on my toes, challenges my authority, and forces me to think in more than three dimensions.
* I’m grateful that, instead of waking up alone every morning, big baby cat Spanky (who’s actually 16 but refuses to act it) has taken up Junebug’s old place next to my pillow. It’s an agreeable arrangement, even if it does remind me that Junebug’s gone.
* I’m grateful for the bunny in our garden, who has provided me with the opportunity to teach rescue mutt Munster that animals aren’t just for chasing and killing. Indeed, I’ve given Munster a new job – that of Protector of Small Creatures. He seems uncertain about it, but I’ll keep working on him until he finally understands that he’s no longer allowed to kill anything. Fingers crossed!
* I’m grateful for the God-given talent to write, and tell stories about the goings-on of the world around me.
* I’m grateful that my childlike wonder of the natural world has never left me.
* I’m grateful that I’m not too old to rock and roll! And that I talked the hubs into buying concert tickets for the upcoming Rolling Stones tour! Woo Hoo!
* I’m grateful for the fact that senile cat Buddy’s dementia is teaching me to be more patient, which is always a good thing.
* I’m grateful for good friends who appreciate my eccentricities.
* I’m grateful for London – a city that never gets dull.
* And I’m grateful for my Sussex Newspaper editor, who lets me write whatever I want!
See you all next month!
