Giving Thanks

Today I am thankful for many things.  My life is far from perfect and there are things I lack, things I want, things I wish were different.  But there is still much for which I am thankful.  And today I chose to focus on those things.

I am thankful for:

• Isaac, of course.  For all the ways he helps me.  For his joyful energy.  For his constant, unconditional love.  And I am thankful he is recovering well from his leg injury.
• Whiskers.  I did not want a cat.  But she wanted me and she is playful and cuddly and so much fun.  And I am grateful I was able to give her the care she needed and the home she deserved.
•  For all the friends, as well as some strangers, that donated money to allow me to go to Nebraska to get Whiskers and bring her home.
• All my friends.  I am going to name some specifically, but I know I'll miss some, and I am truly thankful for them all.
• The friend that sent me, Isaac and Whiskers a care package recently.  Which arrived in five installments.  Full of treats for all of us, including catnip mice for Whiskers, a bone Isaac thinks is just terrific, sugar free candy for me, warm socks for me, lavender Epsom salts for me, and many other goodies.  Isaac also truly enjoyed the visits from the UPS guy.  
• The friend that sent me what she called a "winter hike in a box," a package full of warm winter hiking gear.
• The friend that canceled plans to come pick me up when I had a minor car accident and my car had to be towed.  And then bought me dinner and gave me some money for groceries.
• The friend that, upon hearing I had gone to the drugstore to test my blood pressure when I was feeling ill, bought a blood pressure monitor for me.
• My neighbors.
• My health care providers.  I think I have an awesome team of health care providers.
• My dentist, who managed to create an environment where I feel very little anxiety when receiving dental care.
• My acupuncturist, for providing the most pain relief I've gotten from anything in years.
• My car insurance company.  I'll share - it is State Farm.  When I was recently involved in a minor accident, the insurance agent took my report, arranged for a tow truck and a rental car (and the rental was covered in full by my insurance) and, as much as possible, made a stressful situation easier to cope with.
• The local food pantries that have made sure I have food to eat these past few months, when my medical bills have been high and I've been short on cash for groceries.
• A kitchen full of food.
• My home.
• My van.
• My new gym shoes. A birthday gift from a good friend.
• My laptop computer.
• Work that supplements my disability income and gives me something interesting to do.
• Hiking with Isaac.
• My daily spiritual practice.
• The traveling Isaac and I got to do over the past summer.  Visiting a good friend in Michigan.  Visiting a friend and her service dog Jake in Nebraska.
• The opportunity to go camping twice over the past summer.  And my camping gear, which we will be using next summer.
• Books.  And books on CD.
• Music.
• Medication that helps me.  Better living through chemistry.