Stepping Away from the Edge

So Very Much

We had a family celebration yesterday.  We had so much to celebrate!

Mothers. . .

(And celebrating by buying SHOES! Two matching shoes for walking in comfort and style.  And that's a real reason to celebrate!)

Birthdays. . .

(Better late than never, right Dad?)

Master's Degrees. . .

(Even if you weren't physically with us, Erin, we toasted your success!)

The end of a successful sophomore year. . .

(With more details about . . .what's cookin'. . . later this week.)

The beginning of fishing season. . .

(Have fun, Tom!)

Blooms. . .

(Eye-popping color everywhere!)

and the end of that damn festival!

So. Very. Much.

Beats the Alternative!

So many times, I hear people . . . dispair. . .  that it's their birthday.

Another year older.

No spring chicken.

Past their prime.

Beats the alternative.

Well.  Today, let me assure you . . . having a birthday . . . and turning a year older. . . is a privilege.  Not a problem.

 

It's my birthday, too, yeah!

I never used to like to celebrate my birthday.  I didn't want to draw attention to myself.  I still don't, really.  But I do like to acknowledge the day now -- more than ever.

We're gonna have a good time!

I'm going to fill my day with things I love doing.  My turbo-kick class.  Lunch with a friend.  A little knitting.  Maybe some gardening (a first for my birthday!).  Dinner with Tom.  And, tomorrow, a birthday dinner with my family -- where my Mom will make me the same birthday dinner I've requested since about age 8 (lasagne, "grass salad," and German chocolate birthday cake).

Take a cha-cha-cha-chance!

And I'm going to use this gift of another year . . . to try some new things, think big thoughts, move in new directions, live happy, and not waste a minute.

Because . . . getting older . . . really DOES beat the alternative!

 

Coming To

Today . . . I'm re-surfacing.  Coming to, so to speak, from a family-and-food induced four-day coma.  It's been fun.  It's been tasty.  It's even been fairly relaxing.  My full house** is empty again.  It's time to get back to my "normal" life.

Because I really can't deal with anything clever or creative today, I'll just share some scenes from our Thanksgiving weekend.

Hope you all had a lovely holiday!

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** At one point during the weekend, when Tom had come home late after curling and I was explaining that there was another college student spending the night so he shouldn't be alarmed if he encountered her in the morning, he looked at me and laughed . . . and told me he felt like we were running a youth hostel!  It was a very full house.

Thankful Thursday: The Heart of the Matter

It's Thanksgiving Day.  And today, I am thankful for . . . my heart!

I'm thinking about my heart today -- not only because I'm heading to a special Thanksgiving early-bird spin class at my gym (definitely good for my heart), or because I'll be eating my share of mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie later (definitely not good for my heart).  But because my heart is a wonderful thing.

Not only does it function well . . . ticking, beating, pumping.

But it also serves as a symbol for my emotions . . . expanding, holding, loving.

I hope you all enjoy a heartfelt day today -- filled with things you love best. 

Happy Thanksgiving.

And I say that . . . from the bottom of my heart!

So Much

I am usually in awe of the bounty around me.  I have so much to be thankful for.  And while this is the case every day, I certainly think about it with more intention in November, the season of Thanksgiving.

This week, in celebration of Thanksgiving, here are Ten Things I'm Thankful For:

1. A Firm Foundation -- My Mom and Dad raised my sister and I in a home filled with love, support, and encouragement.  This has served me well all my life, and I am so thankful.
2. Finding the Love of My Life -- Tom and I have been married for thirty years.  Sharing the sentiment of Jerry Maguire, we "complete" each other.  I thank my lucky stars every day.
3. Watching them Grow -- I loved my kids - fiercely - from the beginning, but I had no idea how wonderful it would be to watch them . . . unfold. . . into the adults they are becoming.  What a pleasure to see them become such warm, engaging, intelligent, and risk-taking (both of them!) adults. What gifts!
4. Continuing the Story -- My sister and I were buddies as we grew up (well, most of the time; we did have our moments).  I love being able to stay close as we grow older - and from a distance, folding each other's husbands and children into our lives.  We have such fun, and I am so grateful for her continuing support and love.
5. Wanna Play? -- I enjoy the company of my friends, and appreciate the extra dimension they add to my life.  I am grateful for my real-life friends and my virtual friends.  You are all wonderful.
6. Tail-Wagging -- Oh, Jenny!  What would I do without her company?  I am so thankful for my trusty companion.  She makes every day a happy day.
7. Living Well -- I am healthy.  I am fit.  I am cancer-free.  (I have hair.)  I will never take my health for granted, and I am grateful for every moment.
8. Finding my Passions -- Through the years, I have nurtured activities that stimulate my creativity and fuel my soul.  Reading.  Knitting.  Gardening.  Travel.  Yoga.  Cooking.  These activities bring balance to my life and joy to my days, and I am so thankful.
9. Four Seasons -- Although I do my share of complaining about the weather, I really am grateful to live in a place where the seasons parade past my window.  I enjoy elements of each season.  (I really do.)  And I'm happy to be planted right here. . . just where I am.
10. Having Enough -- Basically, I'm thankful that I have enough. . . of what I need. . . to do the things I want to do.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

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Join the fun!  Sign up for Ten on Tuesday here!

Thankful Thursday: A Piece of My Mind

"A mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions."  ---Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

This week, with Tom away, I've been camped out every evening in the "library" -- my favorite room in our house -- passing the time the way I like best when I'm On My Own:  reading, knitting, sipping wine (or coffee or a cup of tea) . . . and contemplating.

It is a great place to sit and reflect on how thankful I am . . . for my mind!

I'm no genius, that's for certain.  But I am a thinker.  A daydreamer.  A work-it-out-in-your-head kind of gal.  And I thank my mind - my brain - for that!

I'm thankful for being able to read and analyze and put two-and-two together.  I'm thankful for a good education.

I'm thankful for a mind that stretches and imagines and plans.  My mind wanders . . . usually forward. . . and I love planning and scheming and figuring out What Next.

It's pretty amazing when you stop and think about what your brain is really capable of.  Complex analysis of myriad problems and issues.  Deciding what's for dinner.  Remembering phone numbers.  Keeping things straight.  Imagining a new design.  Sorting new ideas.  Calculating measurements.  Deciphering knitting patterns.

I'm grateful for ways to stretch my mind and keep it nimble.  Challenging books.  New dance steps.  Puzzles.  Exposing myself to new ideas and concepts.  Trying new things.

I'm thankful for continuous education.  I'm a strong believer in lifelong learning; reaching out for new opportunities and new challenges.

And I'm thankful for my memory.  I try not to get bogged down in the the past -- but it is certainly wonderful to be able to recall past events and moments and feelings. 

I'm so thankful for my mind --- my own little private space --- where I can plan and imagine and learn and remember!

Thankful Thursday: Let Me Give You a Hand

This week, I've been thinking about my hands . . . and how thankful I am to have them.

Holding.  Touching.  Reaching out.

My hands are expressive.  I talk with my hands; I can wave hello or call someone over.  I can show my appreciation by clapping my hands, or I can show my irritation with . . . well, you know, gestures.

My hands keep me in touch -- they type and write and dial.  They text and push buttons and snap photos.

I can reach out to people -- with a hug, a handshake, a tap on the shoulder.  I can give a massage or tickle someone.  I can push away or pull toward.  I can pet my pup!

When it comes to holding and carrying things, my hands are quite versatile!  I can lug in a week's worth of groceries or push a wheelbarrow full of compost . . . with the same hands that can cradle a fragile piece of china or pick up a tiny fragment of thread.

My hands take me through the chores of my day . . .

and help me settle with my hobbies.

I'm thankful for my hands.  They keep me busy and help me find my way in the world!

 

 

Thankful Thursday: Happy Feet

November already!  You know what that means? 

Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  I love the gathering of Thanksgiving: The food, the family, the being together -- warm and happy inside, against an increasingly chilly exterior.  I love the colors of Thanksgiving.  I love the traditions of Thanksgiving.  I love the overall ease of Thanksgiving; that it is a holiday without much expectation, pressure, or fanfare.  I love that there is a day . . . devoted to being thankful.

In November, I start thinking about what I'm particularly thankful for. . . in my life.  I'm a thankful, grateful person, in general.  Always have been.  But I think that I became Even More Thankful . . . after the whole cancer thing.

So, during November, on Thursdays, I'll be writing about what I'm thankful for. . . right now.

I am thankful . . . for my feet!

That may sound a bit silly.  But, my feet . . .

Get me where I want to go.  They allow me free movement.  They open up a world of possibilities.  They keep me fit.  They keep me connected.  They keep me moving forward.

They jump and kick and spin. 

They pedal.

They drive. 

They walk.  Just around the corner with Jenny.  Or down the Champs-Élysées with my sister.

They move uphill and down. 

Sometimes they move me forward quickly, with excitement; sometimes they move me forward slowly, with dread.

But they keep me moving.

And sometimes, they just . . . hang around.

I'm thankful for my feet.  For movement in my life.  For the ability to . . . go where I want to go.

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Calling all willing participants!!!!!

Erin has put together a short survey (unscientific) for one of her papers in literary & cultural studies.  (Hint:  It's about reading habits and whether or not you use an e-reader.)  If you're willing to spend about 4-5 minutes with this survey TODAY (because, of course, she's on a tight deadline), send me an email or comment and I'll have her send you the survey.  Many thanks!

 

 

Public Service Announcement

If you're going to do this. . .

Straight downhill.

Over 30 mph.

Filming yourself with a video camera stuck on a golf club.

Alone.

When both parents are out of town.

You better be prepared to look like this. . .

Wear your helmet.  (It's the only smart thing he did that day. . .)

Loving the Questions

Sometimes. . . it takes a lot of time and a lot of patience. . . and a LOT of "loving the questions". . . to set things right in your own mind.

I'm there now.  And I thank all of you (and you know who you are!) for being patient with ME. . . while I was being patient with all that was unsolved in my heart.