- A.A. Milne Winnie The Pooh
A lot of talk goes around this time of year about being thankful. I believe most of it is sincere. I certainly have a lot to be thankful for. A comfortable place to live. Food on the table. Some nice things. Wonderful family. And I feel pretty good. Better than I look, anyway. So...yeah...I guess I'm doing all right. Especially since I almost died that one time when my heart attacked me. So I probably should also mention my gratitude for the doctors who fixed me up, the nurses and others who took care of me during the recovery process, and God for giving me another chance.
It's been a pretty good year. No major losses. Some good gains. We were fortunate to be able to travel to Ireland and experience the beauty and history of that country. Went on some nice hikes in the Black Hills. Took a few motorcycle rides. Camped out. And I'm starting to find my way along a new spiritual path. Not that there was anything wrong with my previous path. It's just that there is so much more I want to learn and experience, and I feel like I'm more open to those things than ever before.
Friendships are something I'm thankful for. The ones I can can count on and share secrets with. The ones who I know will be there when I need them. But also the ones with whom I don't interact much, rarely see, and are totally different from me in their lifestyle, age, culture and background. They might not consider me in the same way, but they seem happy to see me when we are brought together for some purpose or event. I still learn from them and appreciate their gifts...even though they may not realize what they have given. Then there are the ones I share some type of a common bond or history with who totally ditch me, only occasionally even attempt to make contact or respond when I reach out, and generally seem uninterested. I understand. They have other things going on. But I don't forget about them and hope they don't forget about me. You've heard the quote, "A mind is a terrible thing to waste." That can apply to friendships, too.
One more thing I am very thankful for. My wife's homemade pumpkin pie. It's only 9:30 in the morning as I write this - but who says you can't have pie for breakfast? I'm almost 64 years old so I do what I want.
Roger O'Dea 11/22/2018
