Thanksgiving is upon us.  And I like to celebrate that each year by recounting the many things I have to be thankful for.

This has been a particularly difficult year for my family.  My father passed away in March after a long illness, my siblings and I moved my mother into an assisted living facility, and then we emptied and sold the family home of 56 years.  And throughout all of this, I was dealing with a significant injury to my left knee.  It was a lot.  Really a lot.  And you might wonder why I would have anything to be thankful for at all.  But I honestly do.

I lost my dad this year, but I’m so grateful that his sharp mind is no longer trapped in a body that was failing. And I’m thankful that he was able to share his wisdom with me for many years, and those lessons will move forward with me throughout the rest of my life.

My mom is no longer able to live on her own, but she is still able to have at least some semblance of independence in her assisted living facility.  I’m grateful that she was willing to make that move, and I’m so thankful that she is receiving excellent care.  And as a bonus, she is near me now, so I can visit her nearly every day.

It was bittersweet to empty and sell the home I grew up in.  It was a lot of exhausting work.  And it was heart-wrenching to part with the physical location of so many memories.  But I’m grateful that a new family will now be able to build memories in the home I loved so much.  And I have to say I’m more than a little thankful that I no longer have to worry about the maintenance of a house 100 miles away from my current home.

My knee injury was painful, and frustrating, and brought a sudden halt to any plans I had made to focus on physical activity this year.  I had to deal with crutches, and physical therapy, and ultimately with surgery, and then a cane.  But I’m grateful that I was able, over time, to get my knee to the point where it is almost normal again.  I may not be running any marathons, but I’m confident that I’ll be able to resume more rigorous activity after the new year.  It could have been so much worse.  It could have stopped me from being able to take on the tasks that were needed around the situations with my parents.  I’m very thankful that my knee didn’t stop me from being where I needed to be.

These were only a few of the countless obstacles I faced this year (2023 has definitely not been a favorite).  And each one of them taught me a lot about being appreciative of what I have.  I have a roof over my head.  I have enough money to buy food.  I have solid transportation.  I have a husband to share my adventures with.  I have two cats who love me unconditionally.  I have a career that provides me with the most incredible intrinsic rewards.  If you were to look at my bank account balance, you would never describe me as rich.  But a wise friend once told me that there are two ways to be rich.  One is to have everything you want.  The other is to want everything you have.  And by that standard I am very rich.

Be thankful.