Be Thankful

It's so easy- and there is so much to be thankful for.

We live in an age (anyone reading this, at leas) were we have so much beyond our basic needs.

Lights—Lovely bright lights in the evening! Glittering holiday lights. Street lights, and traffic signals—there are so many lights have become common place.

I am thankful for Windows...with glass! In the not too distant past, window were taxed (because they were a luxury item!) and glass? So expensive only the rich had glass panes. (and now, I have double panes!) I love my windows and views.... they are amazing.

Solid walls too... with insulation. And floors. Dirt floors and drafty walls that did little to keep the cold out aren't that far in the past.

Central heating! How spoiled we Americans are! We hardly recognize what a luxury it is to just have heat. Not heat hard fought for, with chopping wood, or shoveling a ton of coal (from coal shed/room into the furnace, and then shoveling and carrying out a half ton of coal ashes!) I remember coal... I never had to do the hard part—but even the easy part (laying a fire and lighting it) was a constant daily effort. We live warm and cozy lives and hardly every give a thought to how easy that is for us.

Water! Do you ever think how wonderful it is to have running water, (and drains and sewers?) Its beyond wonderful to have a shower EVERY DAY! And clean laundry, and safe to drink water all the time.

It's easy to be thankful for family and friends.. but I am thankful for strangers, too. I feel safe with strangers. I live in a society that functions well for millions and millions of people. Sure there are some inconsiderate ones.... but there are so many who are just OK. Who don't do anything special.... but just are easy. They don't threaten, they don't harm me. In some cultures, every stranger is a mortal enemy until proven otherwise.. but not strangers I come in contact with...every one is a potential friend—and dangerous ones are far and few. (and for the most part, I have avoided contact with them!)

Look around at your life, and retain the amazement!