Grateful for it All

Today I am thinking about gratitude.

It’s Thanksgiving week and I am very grateful for so many things, and so many people. I feel very blessed. I am lucky to be surrounded by people who care. Not just about me but about the world, about nature, about honor and respect, and taking care of each other. I am blessed with children who are loving and caring adults who are raising loving and caring children.

I am blessed to have traveled and lived in many varied places and have made friends all along the way. In every one of those places I have met loving and caring people.

I mention these things today because much of the of news I read seems to focus on people who are not loving and caring, people who are angry, and vicious and hurtful, and I know that they are out there, but they really aren’t the majority and they are getting way too much credit and press. It raises their behavior to an acceptable level when it really shouldn’t be.

So I just want to put it out there that We who are the caring, loving and respectful people of this world are the super stars. We are the ones that make this world a better place. We are the ones who make this world a better place and I feel blessed to know you all and include you in my circle of friends.

Thank you for being here and for all you do to make this world a better place.

I am also grateful for the chance to come to this magical land of trees and nature unique to any other place I have ever lived. I am grateful for squirrels scampering across the lawn, up the trees, and along the fences. I am grateful for birds of all kinds who come to feed at the bird feeders here. I am grateful for forests to walk in and creeks that babble along in unexpected places, like behind an apartment complex down the road. I am grateful for farm land and fresh produce and the rough and beautiful coastline of this beautiful state. And I am grateful for the opportunity to explore it.

I am grateful for the blessed life I have lived in the state of California as well, another truly magical land with so many varied places and experiences.

I am grateful for being able to stay healthy through this pandemic, for being able to make choices to stay safe and protect myself with vaccines and medical breakthroughs.

And I am also thinking about change.

Yes, again. I am only about half way through the process of moving to Oregon and I have a lot of things to deal with yet to come. And all those pieces of the puzzle have been roaming around in my head the last few days in particular. Since I have been here now for 4 months, I have done a lot of exploring.

I finally started a vision board of sorts that maps out all of the different aspects of my life and what I want them to contain so that I can look at all the pieces together and figure out all the steps I need to do to make the best choices and decisions possible.

One list was not enough

So I put the goal in the middle and set up lists all around it like satellites, that I could make sense of the swirling chaos in my head. There is a lot to think about and a lot to do.
Now I can work on things and keep the whole picture in my view at one time. One step at a time. AndI am grateful for this process and for all the options and choices that are out there.

As you can see, I am thinking about many many things, and this is just the short list!
However, I won’t bore you with more today. I will end this blog with a thank you.

I am grateful for all of you who read my blog and I wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving.

With love and gratitude,

Cheryl