I'm Thankful For All that I'm Allowed

And I've got all that I'm allowed
It'll do for me, I'm thankful now
The walls get higher every day
The barriers get in the way
But I see hope in every cloud
And I'm thankful, thankful
I'm thankful, So thankful
I'm thankful, I've got all that I'm allowed

All That I'm Allowed, lyrics by Bernie Taupin

© 2004 HST Management Ltd./Rouge Booze, Inc.

 

 

On Monday I whined about everything that's going wrong in my life.  Today I focus on everything that's going right.  And there's plenty to be thankful for.

 

1. I'm thankful I'm married to the best man I've ever met.  Why do I love Billy?  Let me count the reasons.   He's kind and generous to everyone he meets.  He has a fabulous sense of humor.  He has stuck by me through a lot of really bad stuff when he could have walked away.  He's much fun to be with.  We laugh a lot.  When one of us feels down, the other provides support.  He's the ying to my yang.  He's still adorable after all these years.  Those twinkling blue eyes and charming smile have not faded in the least.  He's a fantastic cook.  He empties the dishwasher, does the laundry and cleans the house.  He loves his children more than anything.  He's nice to his mother. He's nice to my mother.  HE'S MY BEST FRIEND.
2. I'm thankful that our children are healthy!  This should be number one. And number two.  I know several people who have had children with cancer.  I can't imagine the emotional pain that must cause.  I can feel it just thinking about it.  Then there's the parents who have lost a child.  That pain must be excruciating.  Our children can be pains in the you-know-what, but they have always been healthy.  I love them both to the sky and back and all the ocean.
3. I'm thankful that Billy and I are healthy too.  Billy's dad died of a very rare disease that robbed him of the last few years of his life.  It was horrible to watch.   Billy's mom lost her best friend way too soon.  So, I am grateful that Billy and I are so healthy. 
4. I'm thankful I have a loving family.  My mother, although misanthropic, does love me.  She just has trouble showing it.  My baby sister is the sweetest.  By older brother is the glue in our family.  We shattered after my Mom left my dad in 1982, and we each went our separate ways to heal.  But he brought us all back together, slowly but surely.  I love him very much.  And his wife is like a second sister to me.  We can't wait to see them at Thanksgiving, along with my nieces and nephews, all of whom have grown into amazing adults.
5.  I'm thankful for my friends.  My friends are awesome.  I've moved around a lot over the course of my life, and I've made wonderful friends at each stop.  I started to name them, but that would take a book in and of itself.  You know who you are.  I know I have not kept up with them as I should, but I'm so grateful for the friendships I've had over my life.
6. I'm thankful that my career has given me financial security and allowed me to give my children a comfortable childhood.  The primary reason I went to law school was financial.  I never wanted to be in the situation my mother allowed herself to endure.  I was going to make sure that I could always stand on my own two feet.  Ironically, I married a man who would never even think of pulling the awful stunts my father pulled (like picking fights just so she would get upset.  Who does that?  My dad).   I've never had to make a choice between paying the phone bill or putting food on the table.  My children never had to worry about where their next meal was coming from. 
7. I'm thankful I was able to give my children a happy, secure childhood. This is due completely to the parenting skills Billy taught me. The skills I brought to our marriage were not exactly up to Dr. Spock's standards (Doctor Spock, not Mr. Spock, Star Trek fans). There was always laughter in our house. We ate dinner together almost every night. We went on fun vacations with the kids. 
8. I'm thankful we have money for retirement.  I'm about as lame as it gets when it comes to financial planning.  So is Billy for that matter.  Thank goodness for 401k plans.  Upon good advice, I've invested the maximum amount I could for the past 28 years.  I've also been lucky to have good employer matches at most of the places I've workd.  I pick the mutual funds at random.  Seriously.  I have no idea what I'm doing.  I rarely change the investments.  Even so, the money has added up over the years.  So I have one less thing to worry about.

         You know what is so interesting about this list?  It's not interesting at all. There's nothing fancy or expensive on the list.  No yachts, no houses on the French Riveria, no fancy cars.  A Prius is hardly what you might call fancy, and a minivan?  Well, that speaks for itself.  You can't take your job to bed with you at night--unless you are sleeping with your boss, which is generally not a good idea.

       It's the same list most people have.  Why?  Because no matter who you are, these are the things that matter-- love, health, family, friends, security.  That's it.  And it's plenty to be thankful for.  I'm a lucky woman after all.

 If you're worried and you can't sleep
Just count your blessings instead of sheep
And you'll fall asleep
Counting your blessings
Irving Berlin