OK, OK, I'm a little late with official Thanksgiving greetings, but I've always felt Thanksgiving shouldn't be limited to one day. Two days, maybe, but not just one.
In thinking about giving thanks, as is one's wont at this time of the year, the list of things to be thankful for can be pretty long and similar to everyone else's. You can always be thankful for the place you live, the car you drive, the family you're part of, the job you enjoy, the church you attend. So I've been trying to think of other things I can be thankful for. So, here goes.
1. I'm thankful for computers and social media. I know. It seems crazy. But social media and computers allow us to stay connected with family in far-flung areas of the world (cousins Anna and Joseph in France and Korea, respectively, come to mind). Without platforms like Facebook, I wouldn't know what Anna and her family are up to. And without email, I wouldn't get to see little Jubilee talking to her grandma. Now, I'm not always thankful for computers, especially when they're not working like they're supposed to. And social media can steal more time than almost anything I've found. But on their good days, I'm thankful for them.
2. I'm thankful for audio books. (Ken and Alissa are snickering right now.) Most of the time I have public radio on when I'm in the car, but when the schedule hits the news hour, I'm not always up for that. If I don't have any music I'm in the mood for, it's nice to have a book handy. I recently finished "How to Listen to and Understand Great Music," and while I don't know that I learned everything I'd hoped, it was interesting to hear the instructor's thoughts on various composers. I'm currently listening to "The Secret Garden," which is one of my favorites, and I've heard "The Secret of the Old Clock" and "Jurassic Park" among others.
3. I'm thankful for the opportunities I have through work. I get to do some pretty cool things, like cover state finals and interview high school kids. Maybe that sounds crazy to you, and maybe I am crazy. But I love what I do. This week, for example, I got to cover a state championship game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. The best part about covering high school games at Memorial Stadium is that the sideline restrictions aren't enforced, or at least not as strictly as they are at Husker games, so you don't have to be quite as careful about where you stand to take pictures. Being at Memorial Stadium is awesome anyway, and to be able to watch your team finish the season undefeated and as state champion is even better. And then getting to interview the seniors on that team, to be the first reporter to talk to a lot of them? Pretty cool.
4. I'm thankful for books. Everyone who knows me is picking their jaws up off the floor. She's thankful for books? What? Seriously, though, I was talking to some cousins yesterday, and we decided we wouldn't know what to do if we couldn't read. I've always been a reader, so I don't know anything else. I think the thing I appreciate about books is that I don't have to solve the problems they present. The author has already figured out the solution - I'm just along for the ride. As a writer myself, I know it's not always easy to find the right answer, but when it appears, there's no feeling like it.
5. I'm thankful for music. I've always been more sensitive to what music does to a person. When I was little, if the music got sad during a TV program, tears would spring to my eyes. It was usually during a sad part of the story anyway, but the music exacerbated the situation. But I also know that music can lift a person's spirits. When I'm not having a good day, for example, there are songs and musicians that I turn to to improve my mood. Josh Groban, Sarah Brightman, almost anything by John Williams - those are usually good choices for me.
I could go on, but I'll save some for another time. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. As we enter the Christmas season, though, let's not let the season overwhelm Christmas. We'll all be busy with gatherings, programs at school and church, family get-togethers, but take a few minutes to thank God for His goodness in providing His Son as payment for our sins.
