Some of the things I’m grateful for this Thanksgiving
I’m writing this post in response to my wife Shonnie’s query on her blog (see below) and, of course, the Thanksgiving holiday.
I would be grateful to know about your experience with gratitude. How has it changed your life? What keeps you from feeling grateful? What most profoundly evokes your gratitude? Please use the “comments” area to share or trackback to this post from your site. –Shonnie Lavender
Some of the things for which I’m grateful:
Shonnie, my wife, partner, friend, lover, running buddy, confidante, fellow adventurer and co-author whose happiness and exuberance are infectious, who accepts my family as her own, whose beauty and attractive energy draw me ever closer, whose level of honesty and integrity are constant reminders for me, whose expansive horizons help broaden mine, whose encouragement makes it easier for me to take on things I might otherwise avoid, who calls me out to be who I really am and to do what I’m meant to do
My family—my mom Sue, fierce protector of her clan; my daughter Lilla, her husband Brandon and their kiddos, my grandkids, Molly and Jack who bring joy and delight during their week-long summer visits; my brother Modern Art, his wife Eve and their kids and grandkids; my sister Nancy, her husband Mike, their kids and grandkids—all of whom I feel more connected with than ever before
Our feline family members–Bandit, the warrior-lover who greets us at the beginning of each day with morning kisses and who could live quite well own his own in the wilderness with his instinctual hunting prowess; Chocolate, our 19-year-old grand dame of the family who lived with me through the years when it was just me and her; Kaali, our pretty black girl who sleeps on Shonnie’s pillow; Ataabi, our noble (and somewhat skittish) male kitty who prefers to eat alone; and Desmond, our robust Appalachian Forest Cat named after Archbishop Tutu
Our home and place of sanctuary with artifacts that remind us of loved ones and who we are, that offers comfort, beauty and simplicity, that’s within a one- or two-mile radius of every place we normally travel
Asheville, the funky, progressive, spiritually-inclined little mountain city with its authentic and walkable downtown featuring lots of art and crafts, numerous vegetarian (and non-vegetarian) restaurants, plentiful coffee houses serving fair trade products, Malaprops Book Store, the Fine Arts Theater and the YMCA, as well as the outdoorsy, friendly, eclectic folks who live here. Asheville, NC, the place we’ve put down roots and plan to stay. Help keep Asheville weird!
Jubilee! Community, our spiritual home that’s inclusive, participatory and non-religious, as well as Howard Hanger, our minister of ritual, who brings sacredness, compassion, wisdom, wit, wackiness, ritual and song to each Sunday celebration
The Southern Appalachian Mountains, verdant and voluptuous, gentle and rugged, where we spend most Saturdays running up and down the mountain trails
My health, vitality and high energy that allow me to run the mountain trails, play handball and ride my bike as one of my primary modes of transportation
My mentors and heroes, including my great-grandmother Mae McCarthy with her earthy and wise ways, Brad Brown who first encouraged me to call myself a writer, Bandit who shows me how to be fully present in the moment, Nelson Mandela for his steadfastness and his willingness to forgive, Martin Luther King, Jr. for his compassion and his love of all humankind, John Hoover who has been a guiding light of wisdom and insight since the early ’80s, Martin Sheen for standing in as my fantasy president during the past seven years and for his willingness to go to jail for his beliefs
The More To Life Program for empowering me to release my resentments, discern the fiction my mind tells me from the truth, feel my feelings and become more compassionate and authentic
Coffee, my one remaining addiction, that dark, hot concoction that starts my day with a burst of energy (faux though it may be) and a movement of the bowels
Seinfeld episodes that exaggerate the human condition to the point that it becomes hilarious. “Serenity now! Serenity now! Serenity now!”
Wednesday, November 21st, 20071 Comment »
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Dear Bruce,
Recently, the Citizen Awareness Coalition of Asheville (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CitizenAwareness-Asheville/) held a press conference, announcing the formation of our civilian police oversight review board and our copwatch program. Of all the media we invited, only the Mountain Xpress and the Blue Banner showed up. Although I am grateful for their coverage, I do feel distinctly snubbed by the rest of the so-called MSN. So, I am inviting you, as a blogger of note in Asheville, to observe our next meeting, 6:30 PM, Nov 28th, at the Asheville Brewing Company off Patton Ave. I am a firm believer in the necessity of our organization and urge you to mention our next meeting on your blog. I hope to see you there, and thank you for your time.
Comment by Johnny Lemuria — November 22, 2007 @ 2:14 am