Happy Thanksgiving!

Oh wait, that was last week. Anyhoo, here goes . . .

Things I'm thankful for:

• My family, friends, kids, health, job, life, etc.
  
• God
• The fact that I can go from indoor garage at home to indoor garage at work and circumvent some of the horrors of the Rochester weather
• The fireplace in my office (albeit unused)
  
• The holiday season and everything it entails (i.e., carols, lights, candles, shopping, giving, receiving, incense, warmth, celebration)
  
• My leopard-patterned, rubber rain boots
• Stinky's warm, furry, purring body
  
• Hugs
  
• The body's amazing ability to heal itself!
  
• Massages, facials, mani/pedis, acupuncture, etc.
  
• The full, pink roses that unexpectedly popped up in our backyard recently
• The joy of repeated visits from the Tooth Fairy lately
  
• Vacation days -- even (or especially) when they're spent rummaging through boxes and throwing out tons of useless stuff or donating it to the Salvation Army
  

While I was cleaning all this crap out of the basement last weekend, I found my godmother's high school graduation ring from Cottonwood ID circa 1928, my worn-out gingham nightgown from childhood, a "love letter" from some guy named Ian who apparently I worked with at Xerox but I cannot remember, an email from a girlfriend who died of breast cancer in 1998, a number of books that I have wanted to read and countless pictures of my hubby and me from 20 years ago, Brazil, my 30th birthday party, grad school parties, etc.

But the email from Gisella ripped my heart wide open and reminded me of how fleeting life can be. I burst into tears and Son #1 came running over. "What's the matter mama?" and I told him why I was crying. He then put his arms around me and said, "Don't be sad about her death; just be really happy that you had her in your life at one time."

So, yes, the main thing I am thankful for at this moment: all of my relationships including those that have now ended or are solely maintained from afar. Without them, there is nothing.