Challenges, Yes, But Plenty to be Thankful For

I think we are cynical people by nature. We believe in the worst because we are constantly bombarded by bad news. The old adage “if it bleeds, it leads” has never had more meaning. Cynical is not a healthy state of mind, and we need to pull away from that which feeds it. That is why I developed my Sunday Spotlight. It is my way of shutting out the negatives for a day and giving thanks to someone who positively impacts the world.

We definitely have many challenges in our lives, and some days it feels like the world is spinning out of control. Sometimes it seems like God is seeing just how much we can take before the final straw. But we persevere and find a way through, and usually, we are ready the next day to repeat the process. It is the start of that next day that I find so important.

Sunrise has always been my favorite time of the day. But last year was the first that we spent at our cabin in Maine. We had not realized how fortunate we are that the cabin faces the east Every morning, we are blessed with an incredible sunrise while still lying in our bed. Some mornings I will get up at three while it is still pitch dark. I’ll enjoy the quiet broken only by the calls of the loons, and I will write with one eye watching the east. I am often rewarded with the most extraordinary spectacle as Mother Nature begins her work, the eastern sky her palette, and she paints a magnificent sunrise to awaken us to a new day, a new beginning. I always find myself in awe of her work, but I also take this time to say thanks for all the good things and blessings we enjoy. I realize at this moment that we far too often overlook all the good in our lives.

Today may be our official day to give thanks, but for me, every day is Thanksgiving. From the first breath of the day, we enjoy life, which is enough to be thankful. There is no guarantee that we will make it through the next trip around the sun or even the next time the moon circles our earth. We will experience loss and new life as that is our circle of life. We have no control over the size of the circle, but we do over how we fill it.

I have so much to be thankful for in my life. My health, a loving, beautiful, generous partner, and our two dogs, who bring smiles to our lives, are just the start. Our wonderful family, friends, and the kids I pick up and deliver to school each day on my big yellow bus. And especially our pond buddies. These are the folks who make the Pond the magical place we love. Every day we may meet them on our morning coffee ride on the pontoon or at night for cocktails and dinner. We seem to end up at a different camp at the end of the day, and we all bring something for dinner. It is like our own little Thanksgiving meal each day. We light a fire and sit, talk, and enjoy the company. And we celebrate the end of a wondrous day.

As the fire burns, I look to the east and hope and pray that Mother Nature is already working on her next masterpiece. It is a beautiful life; everyone has their version if you take the time to find it. I hope that this Thanksgiving, you will find your reasons to give thanks.