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Road trips full of Funyuns and Snickers bars. Laughter with friends. Laughter with strangers. Melodies that tickle the inside of your ear. The big bass drum of a marching band, so loud it rumbles your stomach.
These days, it’s far too easy to get wrapped up in the bad. But boundless benefits come from focusing on the good—any good—big or small. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, the following is a list—by no means all-inclusive—of completely random things for which I’m thankful. They may seem trivial at first, until you pause to imagine life how much different, how much emptier, life would be without them.
Warm Oatmeal. Cinnamon. Honey. Plumbing. Soft bed sheets. The furnace. Public transportation. Shampoo. Body Lotion. Sunrises. Sanitation employees. Bar soap. Warm blankets. Lying close to the one you love. Ceiling fans. Lavender. Tylenol. The toothbrush. Mint. Game shows. Homeless shelters.
Peanut butter. Chocolate. Peanut butter and chocolate. The smell of freshly cut grass. Briny, salty sea air. Automobiles. Sprinklers. Sun toasting your skin on a warm summer day. Ladybugs. The smell of freshly cut grass. Pillows that cradle a weary head. Hummingbirds. Remote controls. Ikea. Diversity.
Fireman, policeman, paramedics, soldiers, may other honorable professions that I’m sure I’m forgetting. For that matter, any person who freely chooses to enter a profession (likely, a financially undervalued profession) in which they knowingly and willingly put their life on the line every day—you get an extra special thanks!
Fairy tales. Horror films. Television. William Shatner. The moon. Nelson Mandela. Mother Theresa. Martin Luther King, Jr. Fireflies. Cool breezes. Falling leaves. Snow so white that it’s blue. Rocking chairs. A fluffy couch. Your primary care physician. Friends that listen. Family members that don’t.
Historical, legendary figures that, regardless of belief, have influenced society—a list, again, by no means all-inclusive. God. Jesus. The Bible. Moses. Mohammed. Gautama Buddha. Confucius. Krishna.
The playful bounce and wag of a young puppy with a new bone. The squirrely pounce and swat of a young kitten with their first ball of yarn. Sardines. Breakfast in bed. Potato chips in bed. Other things…in bed. Band-Aids. Welders. Ink pens. Door locks. 5th Avenue candy bars. Trader Joe’s. College. Driving instructors.
Black and white TV shows. Pajamas. Underwear. Coffee. Sugar. Tuna. Mayonnaise. Deodorant. Carbon (for life). Eyeglasses. Sweaters. Trees. The color red. Fire. Vocal cords. Big toes. Little toes. Necklaces. Microphones.Toothbrushes. Boats. The hook.
I’d be remiss to not mention BOOKS. Language. Words. The ink pen. The crayon. The typewriter. The word processor. The computer. The laptop. The Internet. The printer.
Please add to this list. Please share the list. And, please keep it for a cheery reference on a not so stellar day. And above all, have a blessed, safe and happy Thanksgiving weekend.
Joanna Evans