I am thankful for my neighbors. Paul with his Labrador, Stella, who is always cheerful when we see him. He calls out to the collies, makes Stella share her treats with them (hard work for a Labrador!), and encourages his grandson to go visit "those fluffy collies." And there is Dorothy. She is 92 years young, legally blind, but still walks out neighborhood daily with the aid of only a walker. She is upbeat, loves to stop and visit, and always has time to scratch collie butts. She says she looks forward to "seeing" them, and then laughs. Really, she says, she looks forward to touching their luxurious coats. We also love seeing Carol. She lost her husband earlier this year and has been thinking about getting a dog. She's in her early 70's and would love to have a dog of her own. In the meantime, she spoils the collies, which they do so enjoy. And I can't forget my next door neighbor, Elaine. She lives alone and says the collies barking at our shared fence makes her feel safe. LOL. Those collies are happy to oblige when it comes to barking.
I am thankful always for my friends near and far. I love having friends that I see every week, those that I see every month, and my Facebook and Instagram friends that I see daily in my newsfeeds. I know that some people complain that the internet has created distance between people since folks don't have to leave their houses any more to "socialize." I really don't feel that way. Social media has expanded my world, introduced me to people around the globe that I never would have had the pleasure of meeting otherwise. For this, I am grateful.
Finally, I am thankful most of all for my family. They are always there to support me, to bolster me up when needed, to roll their eyes when I need to just get it together, and hug me on the daily. Even at almost 17, my son has time for me. We take in a movie or play miniature golf. He likes to tease me about how ridiculous I am with the dogs. And yet, he is just like me. While I miss my girls now that they are away at college, I appreciate that they check in. Love the texts, memes, ted talk links, music clips, and conversations when they have the time. I love that Jessica sent me my first "mom care package" this year as well. Somewhere in heaven, her grandmother and great-grandmother, the queen and queen mother of care packages, are smiling.
And I am grateful to all of you for reading this post. I just needed to say what was in my heart. Feel free to share what you are thankful for in the comments as well. Happy Thanksgiving everybody!
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