A grateful ‘This and That.’

It’s just a little over a week before Thanksgiving. Are you feeling thankful?

I hope so. It’s time to think about what we are grateful for, and there is always something! Right??

I am grateful for my past weekend and my quick trip to Nashville. I love Nashville and it was fun to meet up with my girlfriend and watch her son make his Grand ole Opry debut! I am thankful to have shared in his experience. I am happy for his mom, and for everyone who gets to feel the joy from watching this young man rise up in the music business.

I was thankful for the smooth flying and the ‘on time’ flights I had. I am happy the government shutdown ended and that my trip went as planned. I thanked a few TSA agents for working during the shutdown. One told me they had not received their back pay yet. Another told me that they may have to go through this all over again in January when the deadline comes up again. (A side note: I was disappointed that Congress did not keep the ACA premium relief costs down. I worry for many who will have bigger health bills coming in ‘26.)

As it is almost Thanksgiving, we are coming to the end of hurricane season – and so, I am very grateful that we had a quiet season and no major concerns about evacuations and possible damage.

Today the House of Representatives is going to vote on releasing all the rest of the Epstein Files. I just watched a live press conference with some of the survivors/warriors who spoke of their stories, and how they have found strength from finding each other, and their need for transparency, for naming the names of the guilty. I am grateful for their strength, and I pray that the truth will finally come out, and that the men and companies responsible for years of sexual abuse, will get their day in court.

I am grateful that the time has come for the women. I think about how Rep. Lewis said ‘make good trouble’ – and that change can take a long time but to not give up. This is a perfect example of diligence and patience.

Speaking of women, and the need to have control over their own bodies, I was in the grocery store yesterday, and in the paper towels area, I found a torn opened EPT test box, with the test applicator missing. The paper towels are near the restrooms in the back of the store. I knew immediately that some young woman had been fearful, had no money to buy the test, so she ‘stole’ it and went into the bathroom to find out. I hope for her sake it turned out negative, but if not, I hope that she has support. She and I live in a state that is doing their best to control female bodies.

I am grateful for music – always. The busy music season is quickly approaching. The first two weeks of December have full days of rehearsals and performances.

I am grateful for the little things, like the birds that come to my feeder. I recently got a new feeder with a camera on it, so now I love to see the short 10 second videos as birds come and go to it. I have some birds that feed there every day. And, as the days get shorter and colder, I hope even more will stop by.

I have read some really good books lately. I am in awe of writers who can put together beautiful sentences, who can pull me into a story, who can teach a lesson, or help me think of something in a new way. What a gift to be a good writer! Check out my list on Goodreads of the books I have enjoyed lately. You might like them too.

In reality, this time of year often puts me in a funk. I don’t always handle the holidays well because I worry about finding the right gifts, and doing the right things, and getting caught up in the commercialism of it all too much, forgetting the birth of Jesus. I see it around me and get annoyed.

So, it’s good that Thanksgiving comes first, to put my mind on the wonderful people, times, and things, that help me through life so well. The timing is right. As I age I realize how finite our days are, and learning to be open to change has become so important. I think people who age holding a grudge and/or who prefer to ‘look backwards’ waste really precious time.

I am extremely grateful for where I am – and how my days can be comfortable. I love that little surprises can still pop up. I am thankful for taking time to consider it all.