thankful

though i often have lost sight,
in the tears of september's fires
or the pain of ongoing woes
engendered by the monetary
morass into which i continue to sink,
there is much in this world for which
i am grateful, for which i raise my heart
to the spirit of life and say thanks:

for the love in my children's faces
when they are caught off-guard
in those ephemeral moments when
they briefly forget their assigned task
in this world is to antagonize each other
and drive each parent insane,
in those moments when they throw
their arms around me and with a soft kiss
whisper i love you or drag me to the
couch for a hug or to share laughter, or
fill my path with little love notes
addressed "to mommy";

for the people who have shaped me,
helped me, guided me, molded me,
tolerated me when i was out of line,
loved me when when it was hard
and even when it was impossible
never stopped believing that
one day it would be possible again,
for family and for friends both old and new
who each day i breathe remind me
that good exists in the world,
that nothing cannot be overcome
and that life can be full of joy;

for the young people who have passed
through my life, who have touched me
and been touched by me, in whose
memory i am forever knit,
especially for those who have been
special to me and who return
to my life in random moments
as if to say, never despair: you have
made a difference, and for the
career i have enjoyed and
continue to enjoy which makes such
things possible;

for the relationships, long-standing
or brief, which have changed me,
moved me, humbled me, thrilled me
to the fibers of my soul that i am
capable of feeling that warmth and
sharing it with another human being,
and for the omnipresent hope that
one day i will find a soul mate who
will take me to the stars;

for the simple and overwhelming
miracle of my existence, the
fact that i am here and living
my life and recalling my joys
on a beautiful thursday in
november with overfilled heart
and a stomach soon to match;

for a church that has helped me know
life in all its glory and its pain,
for the sweet scent of flowers,
for the soft breathing of my cat,
for the anticipation of a season
of hope in a world which
sometimes seems hopeless,
for all the joys unspoken here,
and despite whatever meanness
life throws in my direction,
i send a prayer of thanksgiving
and a smile of appreciation:

life is multidimensional
and we choose how to perceive it;
i will try to remember that,
and when i fail (as i
inevitably will, as we all do)
i will strive to pick up the pieces
and see it from the joyful side
once again.

karen

all rights are reserved