Thanks for everything
by Kate Evans
Every year I write a Mountain Musings column for Thanksgiving that’s filled with a long list of things for which I’m grateful. Some are simple joys, others deeper — but all inspire gratitude and wonder.
Many themes are mentioned annually — thankfulness for the beauty of nature, for blue skies and sunshine, the needed rains that help things grow, for all the good people in this world, for the hope that comes with spring, for art and music and so much more.
I’m thankful for health and wellness, that I’m still here and getting around. I’m grateful that I can continue to ponder the complexities of life and find the good that exists in humanity.
I just want to say thanks for everything — small and large. Thanks for the basics — food, water, clothing, a home, a vehicle and the general comforts of life. I’m also grateful for the special things that make life worthwhile -watching a great movie, listening to some favorite classic rock, blues, folk or Motown, reading a spellbinding book and enjoying a cherished family recipe.
Thanks for the daily welcoming song of the birds, the stillness of the night skies, the splendor of the sun and moon that reign over each day and night, the healing woods and trees and the grandeur of the mountains, rivers, fields and streams.
Thank you for every new day that welcomes us with new possibilities, joy and renewal.
Thanks for the love, caring and support of family, friends and colleagues and for being part of a caring community.
Thanks for the incredible sunrises and sunsets, for the majesty of the four seasons and the different wildlife families that frequent our world.
Thank you for the knowledge that we can so easily find on the internet on so many different topics and for having the needed caution to decipher its truthfulness.
Thanks for a lifetime of memories that bring joy and smiles. Thanks for the peace that comes with reconciling life’s regrets.
Thank you for health care providers, police, emergency medical responders, firefighters, and emergency personnel who work so hard to keep us safe and well. Thanks for the veterans who have fought so hard to preserve our freedoms.
Thanks for the individuals who have been our mentors and role models during our lifetimes and for all they have shared with us and taught us.
Thank you for children and their innocence, for the unconditional love of a dog, for the power of believing, for quiet moments of solitude and for time with family.
Thank you for kindness, love, honesty, respect, understanding, courage, tolerance, empathy, compassion, openness, forgiveness and integrity. Our world could use as many of these good things in as great of quantities as we can muster.
Remember to make the most of each day and to stay positive, even though the news of the world may seem bleak. Let your light shine and let it bring radiance to the shadows. Give thanks for every new day and for all that you’ve been given.
