A Gratitude List

Many years ago, I made a list of 100 things for which I was grateful.

As we are now coming up on Christmas, I thought I would revisit this old list and update it.

Making the original list was pretty easy at the beginning, but as the list grew longer I really had to think to come up with more things and people to add. I finally did complete the list of 100 items, and it was a good experience that forced me to really think about all the blessings in my life. 

Some people may not like the word 'blessings' due to its religious connotation, but I have yet to come up with another word that denotes the same thing.

I think doing a gratitude list of any number of items is a good exercise from time to time. It doesn't matter whether the list is five, 10, 50 or 100 items long. I believe it is the exercise itself that is of greatest importance.

My updated list is below.

Things For Which I Am Grateful (in no special order)

1. my dogs Jenny and Jett
2. close friends
3. my blue eyes
4. my photographer’s eye
5. classical music
6. smooth jazz
7. leopards
8. mountains
9. New Mexico
10. the beauty of nature
11. reading
12. my writing talent
13. fresh peaches from my yard
14. fresh strawberries
15. grilled salmon
16. books
17. time
18. golden retrievers
19. terriers
20. mutts
21. blue skies
22. Arizona’s red rocks
23. continuing to grow
24. my wonderful bed
25. abundant sunshine
26. our amazing planet
27. travel
28. the smell of a pine forest
29. air conditioning
30. fireplaces
31. fresh, crisp mountain air
32. abundance
33. freedom
34. sunflowers
35. carnations
36. low humidity
37. the high desert
38. elephants
39. wolves
40. my fruit trees
41. rediscovering myself
42.my Kindle
43. time to read

44. sunsets

45. Native American jewelry
46. this blog
47. good knees after more than 30 years of running
48. hot showers
49. my sense of humor
50. my warm house
53. being able to speak Russian
55. chocolate
56. black walnuts
57. salted cashews
58. warm chocolate chip cookies
59. my NASA career
60. outdoor showers while visiting Africa
61. warm, sunny days
62. warm clothing
63. living in Moscow for 3-1/2 months
64. soft, warm sweatshirts
65. fresh-squeezed orange juice
66. family
67. friends
68. education
69. solitude
70. abundance
71. my independent spirit
72. flannel pajamas
73. Coke Zero in a can
74. beautiful sunrises
75. making friends in other countries
77. vacations
78. my healthcare team
79. being retired
80. daisies along the highway
81. a good night’s sleep
82. waking up every morning
83. a reliable car
84. faith
85. resilience
86. healthy mind
87. healthy body
88. opportunities to develop new facets of myself
89. inner strength
90. willingness to take risks
91. hope
92. optimism
94. life’s lessons learned
95. being in control of how I feel
96. love
97. serenity
98. rainbows
99. animal rescue groups
100. forgiveness

The world is currently filled with hatred and evil that often seem to have taken over everything. Wars. Conflicts. Gun violence. Poverty. Hunger. Suffering. Crime of all sorts. Hatred.

There are many times when all the hurt and hatred in the world are overwhelming. I get so many appeals to donate to this cause or that. I cannot give to all of them, and I am unable to give enough to really make a difference. Sometimes it seems hopeless.

But I give what I can to my top 12 organizations working to make the world, or some small corner of it. a better place.

That's all I can do. And I guess that is enough.

Thanksgiving 2017

Thanksgiving is just one day away. 

This has been another rough year for me. I have had three retina surgeries this year, but I am thankful that I live in an area that has not one, but several, very skilled retina surgeons. Without them, I would be facing a life of blindness. And I am grateful to my friend who has driven me to eye doctor appointments more times than I can remember when I am unable to drive safely with two dilated eyes.

I have had some housing issues this year, including a leaking roof that caused damage to the ceiling in my pantry. But I am thankful that the minor repair was covered by the roofing company's warranty, and that the small hole was repaired quickly and easily. (The drywall in the ceiling hasn't yet been repaired).

My air conditioner, which is only 4 years old, has had ongoing problems and finally was destroyed by a lightning strike. I'm certainly not thankful for that, but I am grateful that this happened in late September, after the worst of the hot weather had passed.

I am thankful that  my dogs, for the most part, have remained healthy this year. Layla suffered a bou of colitis, but medication and a soft diet for a few days cleared it up. And I am thankful that Bailey has decided that Benny is OK and a good playmate for her.

I am thankful for my friend in South Carolina, who is always there with an encouraging word or advice when I need it most.

I am thankful for the travel opportunities I have enjoyed this year, with trips to Yellowstone National Park, Cuba, France, Kenya, Utah, Morocco and Joshua Tree National Park.

I am especially thankful for my travel companions from England and Scotland that made our three-week trip to Kenya so special. And I am thankful for the wonderful wildlife sightings during that trip, the best ever during my five trips to Africa. I am thankful for the people I have met during my travels with whom I am still in contact. I now have friends in Kenya, Ireland, Scotland, Russia, Germany, England, Turkey, France and other countries.

I am thankful for having clean air to breathe and clean water to drink. So many people, even in the United States, don't have these essentials. And I am thankful for our nation's natural beauty -- the mountains and forests in particular -- that give me so much pleasure. I am so thankful for the individuals and organizations that fight to protect our wilderness and our wildness, and to protect our air and water from those who want to destroy them in the name of profit.

I am NOT thankful for the current state of the American nation, nor for the current administration. But I remain thankful to live in a free country.

I am grateful for my house and my car, and for never having to worry about having clothes to wear or food to eat. 

Despite life's challenges -- and we all have them -- we are better off than the vast majority of people in the world. We do have much for which to give thanks. For me, Thanksgiving is not just a speed bump on the race to Christmas. It's isn't about 'Black Friday' or 'gray November' or staring the search for 'the perfect gift.' Thanksgiving deserves its own holiday and its own special recognition.

I hope your Thanksgiving is filled with warmth, joy and a spirit of sharing.

Think Gratitude

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend."

On this eve of the day Americans set aside each year to offer thanks and gratitude for our many blessings, I want to pause and offer a few thoughts.

Our country, and indeed, the world, is embroiled in a fight against the evils known as ISIS, Boko Haram and Al-Qaeda. These shadowy organizations pose a major threat to the lives and safety of millions of people around the world. They have no conscience, they show no mercy in their campaign to subject the world to their corrupt version of Islam. Quite simply, they must be stopped. I am grateful that unlike the people of France, Libya, Nigeria, Tunisia and other countries, we have largely been spared from their horrors.

And we who live in the safety of this great nation -- despite ongoing threats from those who would do us harm -- have so much for which to be thankful. Let's start with our first responders -- police, firefighters, EMTS and other medical personnel -- who give up time with family to serve those who need help regardless of the day or time.

I am grateful for the members of our military, especially those far from home and in foreign lands, and for the family members left behind to face yet another holiday without their loved ones.

I am grateful for those among us who continue to raise their voices and fight the good fight to save and protect the planet from those who see it only as something to be exploited. Countless individuals and organizations in the U.S. and around the world fight each day to stop pollution, trophy hunting, killing contests and the killing of elephants and rhinoceros for their ivory and tusks. Others fight to prevent Congress from selling our public lands to the highest bidder for mining, drilling or clear-cutting of our forests.

I am grateful as well for those who work tirelessly to save domestic animals from abuse and neglect, and for those dedicated souls who work to safeguard the most vulnerable among us -- the children and elderly. Our system may not be perfect, and far too many fall through the cracks, but we would be so much worse without it.

Think of those who serve hot meals to the hungry and homeless, who provide counseling and warm clothes and a safe place to sleep to those who have none. And be grateful that we are blessed with so many selfless people.

I also am saddened that Thanksgiving is becoming little more than just the prelude to a season of frenzied shopping and overspending in search of 'the perfect gift.' We need to save the shopping until after Thanksgiving. I am grateful that my daughter, at almost 22 years old, recognizes the difference between needs and wants. I have bought her a couple of things for Christmas -- things she can use -- and will give her some money to help with her bills. But long gone are the days when she wanted countless things she didn't need.

I am so very grateful that after years of struggling to find herself and her place in the world, and of struggling with lack of self-esteem, she now is a graduate of cosmetology school, she has a good job in a local salon, and she is in a committed relationship with a very nice young man. Coming from a childhood in Russia filled with abuse, neglect and rejection, she now is able to both give and accept love, and to realize that she deserves to be happy.
  So however you will spend this most American of holidays, I hope it will be filled with true gratitude for all your blessings. And please don't forget those not as blessed.

Creating a New Version of Christmas

Last year, I turned against Christmas.

No, I'm not denying the real reason for Christmas, to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ (although some scholars believe the birth actually happened in April, not December). I am, however, fed up with the constant media hype about 'the perfect gift' and commercials depicting a loving man buying his beautiful family a $50,000 Lexus for Christmas. I am fed up with seeing Christmas decorations in some stores in August. I am fed up with being bombarded by demands for money from various non-profit organizations, some of which send me an appeal every week starting in July.

I understand that not everybody celebrates the religious aspects of Christmas, and I have no quarrel with that. I once had a Jewish colleague at work who celebrates Christmas in its non-religious aspects. But for many people, Christmas is nothing more than an adventure in shopping and spending. And apparently stores and online sellers would like to keep it that way. People get trampled or shot as they rush to get the latest must-have electronic gadget or toy on Black Friday (which now starts on Thanksgiving). Fist fights break out as people squabble over the last remaining item without which there just will be no Christmas. So this is the Christmas spirit?

My mailbox, my e-mail, and my Facebook feed are swamped with appeals for money. Yes, I know that times are tough and the need is great, but enough is enough! I cannot donate to every worthwhile charity; I cannot save every animal in need. I cannot help fund research into every worthwhile medical issue or help feed every hungry person. I do what I can, but it seems that never is enough. The more I donate, the more frequent the appeals for still more money.

I don't want to hear radio stations playing nothing but Christmas music on November 1. I want to be able to enjoy Thanksgiving without it being just a bump in the road on the way to the over-hyped Christmas season.

I am disgusted by the whole business. This year, I will not mail Christmas cards to anybody. My shopping, which is very limited already, will be done online with organizations that use the proceeds to do good. So far I have ordered salsas and preserves from Shane's War, to benefit an organization that works to improve the lives of animals in underfunded animal shelters. I also will shop at the Southwest Indian Foundation, which works throughout the year to provide food, shelter and heat to impoverished residents of the Navajo Nation. I will make fudge and a variety of cookies to send to some out-of-town friends.

I plan to spend the week before Christmas in a place where commercialism and greed haven't yet overtaken the true meaning of this day. Then I want to enjoy a day with my daughter and my dogs, although her Scrooge boss expects her to work both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

 I love Christmas music, and I have more than 40 CDs of Christmas tunes by a wide variety of artists. I have a collection of ornaments from around the world -- Russia, Poland, Kenya among other places. I like to decorate the house, although putting up a tree is a chore. I want to find ways to celebrate the true meaning of this special holiday, and that does not include fighting throngs of shoppers at the mall and driving myself into a frenzy in an ill-fated attempt to find 'the perfect gift.' I will not run up massive debt buying things for people who don't need or want anything. Instead, I will make my shopping count by buying from organizations that put the money I spend to good use helping others.

This season really is about giving back to our communities, helping those not as fortunate as we are, fighting for what we are most passionate about (whether that is an endangered animal species, preservation of wilderness, fighting an injustice or feeding the hungry), and—as old-fashioned as it might appear—doing what is right. Please join me in creating a new, less stressful, kinder and more meaningful version of the Christmas holiday.

Be Thankful and Be Happy

As Thanksgiving 2014 approaches, let us pause amidst the rush and stress of our daily lives to reflect on the many blessings we have. Life may not be as good as we would hope, we may have personal, family, health or financial struggles, but always remember that there are millions of people in this country and around the world who are so much worse off than we are.

Life often isn't easy, and it often isn't fair. Dreams don't always come true. But rather than focusing on what we don't have, on our problems and struggles, let's focus on what we do have.

• Do you have a safe, warm place to live? Many don't. Imagine living on the streets in all kinds of weather.
• Do you have food in your pantry? Many struggle to put food on the table. This is especially true in New Mexico, where I live. This state ranks first in the number of children who don't get enough to eat. It ranks second in the number of senior citizens who struggle to get food. That is an appalling statistic.
• Do you have warm clothes for the winter? Many face the cold weather without adequate coats, hats, gloves and shoes.
• Are you healthy? Not everybody enjoys good health. If your health is good, count your blessings. Many struggle with health problems. And many struggle to pay for needed medications, or have inadequate or no medical insurance.
• Do you have a job, whether it pays well or not, even if you don't like it? Many have lost their jobs and struggle to make ends meet. Some have searched for employment for so long that they have given up.
• Do you have friends or family? Many, particularly the elderly, suffer from loneliness and isolation.

This time of year is challenging for a lot of people. Daylight is short, temperatures cold, and there is the ever-present pressure to have a perfect holiday gathering and to find 'the perfect gift.'  It's sometimes difficult to focus on our blessings. So let us make a real effort to appreciate all we have, to reach out to those less fortunate than we are, and to be happy whatever our circumstances. As the saying goes, "It isn't having what you want. It's wanting what you have."

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

Happy Thanksgrabbing!

Happy Thanksgrabbing is the title of a column in last Sunday's newspaper, and it seems very appropriate this year.

The annual push to find 'the perfect gift' has started even earlier than in years past. Some stores actually put Christmas items on display in August, and a local Albuquerque FM station switched to playing nothing but Christmas music in early November. Not only are we bombarded with 'Black Friday' commercials and ads earlier than ever, but now stores are bleating about 'pre-Black Friday' sales. And of course, opening at 6 a.m. the Friday after Thanksgiving isn't good enough any more. While a few stores opened at midnight last year, this year finds several major retail chains opening on Thanksgiving Day. Talk about corporate greed.

I find this rampant consumerism to be very disheartening. There is nothing in this world that I truly need to buy. I even have a hard time coming up with a short list of things I want, and I put together that list only because my daughter wants to buy something for me for Christmas. So my list includes a bottle of perfume and a couple of music CDs. I enjoy music, so a new CD is always welcome. But truth be told, I get much more pleasure from volunteering at a food bank, or donating food, or buying a wood-burning stove and a couple of food baskets for needy families on the Navajo reservation.

The Thanksgiving holiday is just that -- a day set aside in gratitude for the blessings we have. I live in a beautiful home; my daughter and I are happy and healthy. Our dog, while battling a brain tumor, is doing OK and I can afford the specialized medical care she needs. I have plenty of food in the pantry and freezer. I have money to support me for the rest of my life. I have medical insurance. I am able to travel abroad, and I have hobbies that I enjoy. I have friends both here in New Mexico and in other states, even in other countries. So life, while not perfect, is good.

Friend and mentor Michelle Millis Chappel recently wrote a blog post titled "Why I'm Still Grateful When Life Sucks." Despite life's ups and downs, challenges and losses, we still have things for which to be grateful. Even when there doesn't appear to be a lot for which to be grateful, we need to really think about the things we have. We need to look for the opportunities within the challenges, to recognize that there are many, many people far less blessed than we are. Look for life lessons within the setbacks and disappointments. We need to realize that this is the only life we will get, so we need to make the most of it. And that doesn't mean having all the latest gadgets and toys, the most expensive house or the fanciest car. It does mean recognizing that life, even our mundane, everyday life, is precious. 

So, after you pause to consider your blessings, resolve to make life happen. Do something to bring yourself closer to achieving your dream. Reach out to make a difference in the life of another person or an animal in need. Share your talents with others. Resolve to not give in to the Thanksgrabbing pressure.

Make Thanksgiving a state of mind, not just one day in late November.

Grateful for Everything

Isn't this a fabulous sentiment, expressed by that lovable loser, Charlie Brown, and his faithful dog Snoopy? Look at the joy on their faces and in their bodies. Pure exhilaration. No worries, no fears, no 'what ifs' -- just gratitude.

I started to wonder whether it is possible to set aside just one day to be grateful for everything and everyone in our lives. I don't think it will be easy. Difficult people, traffic jams, uncooperative 'customer service' representatives and a myriad of other things always seem to spoil an otherwise good day. It is so easy to focus only on the hassles in life and on the things we wish we had, but don't.

So today, I tried to think about everything for which I am grateful as I encountered it. Going for a walk, I appreciated the beautiful blue sky and white clouds, the mild temperature and breeze, and living in a state of wondrous natural beauty. I was grateful to see and hear sandhill cranes foraging in the fields, to hear the honking of geese as they flew overhead, and to have a quiet, traffic-free place in which to exercise. I was grateful for my warm jacket and my reliable car, for my nice house, and for my daughter and dogs awaiting my arrival home. 

Think about the things for which we should be grateful, but that we take for granted: running water (I learned about this a year ago when my water pump died and we had no running water for three days until the pump was replaced), electricity and heat. I am grateful for the food in our house, for my clothing, my wonderful bed and the blankets that keep me warm.

I am grateful that my daughter still lives at home and that we still enjoy spending time together. I am grateful that my dogs are doing well despite the infirmities of age, and that my body continues to serve me well, with only the occasional annoyance of bursitis and arthritis.  I am grateful that my father, at age 87, is still able to live on his own, drive and take care of himself.

During these tough economic times, I appreciate my pension and Social Security income, and the fact that my daughter has a part-time job. I have money enough to get me through the remainder of my life, with some left to my daughter and favorite charities.

I appreciate the opportunity to help others through my volunteer work at a food pantry and with a wolf rescue group. I am grateful for my ability to write, for my college education, for finishing (finally!) my book and for living in a place where I can indulge my passion for photography.

I am grateful to have medical insurance, for my physician and physical therapists, and for the ability to get prescription medications when I need them. I am grateful for our veterinarian, who recently treated Tia and made her feel better.

Today's exercise in gratitude again opened my eyes to the blessings I have and gave me a sense of calm when I started to get irritated about something insignificant. I believe that consciously thinking about gratitude on a regular basis is a good reminder of all the people and things in our lives that give it meaning. I don't have the discipline to do a gratitude list every day, as some people do, but setting aside a day once in a while to focus on gratitude provides a great opportunity to think about our blessings.