I just spent a month viewing the posts of many of my
friends on Facebook as they posted daily everything for which they were
thankful. I was truly touched and
definitely amazed at their ability to write something each day. I ‘opted out’ of doing that because I knew I would
either never keep up (heck, I can’t even keep up with this blog!), or I would most
assuredly repeat myself, since my brain seems to have ‘left my building’ a
couple of years ago.
This morning, however, I was truly touched by the post of
one of my distant cousin's. She put a
photo of her son as her profile photo and mentioned how much she missed
him. She went on to add that she knew
that she would see him and his sister one day soon, and how thankful she was
that she had been their Mother.
I broke down in tears. I cry still. My heart is broken.
It goes without saying that most of us learned as we grew
up to be thankful for everything and in all things give thanks. However, I’m not sure I would have my cousin’s
strength. Her faith is strong, and I know that gives her the ability to write those
words. I can only believe that my faith
would give me that strength as well – eventually.
Her words prompted me to write this ‘Thankful Thursday’
post, since I didn’t do that during the month of November. I have so very much
to be thankful for, and I’m a little ashamed that I didn’t participate in that
enjoyable activity on Facebook. I’m making up
for it now, so here goes…
I am, quite naturally, thankful for all of my family – my
beloved husband, my amazing three sons, my wonderful three grandchildren, and
my beautiful new great grandson! I’m
also thankful for my remarkable daughter-in-law, my delightful nieces and
nephews, my precious sisters-in-law (both current and ‘former!’), and even my brothers-in-law
– and if you knew them, you’d know that’s a hard one to say! (Just kidding, of
course. Maybe. Okay. Kidding. Really! I love them all.)
I'm also very thankful for my parents, grandparents and all of those who have 'gone on before me.' One of the joys of my life is that I chose to research my family's history and have come to know my ancestors so well. What wonderful people they were, even those few 'questionable characters' sprinkled about in the ol' family tree.
I’m thankful for all of my cousins, and that includes the
ones I’ve known all my life and the many, many ‘new’ cousins I’ve ‘found’ and
connected with during my years of family history research. It’s funny how close you can become to people
you never knew before, and never even knew existed, but there really must be something
to that ‘genetics’ thing! J
I’m thankful for the countless friends that I have. I’ve
been blessed over the years to have such good friends. I think that the one thing that I’ve always
really liked about Facebook is that it’s allowed me to ‘reconnect’ with friends
that I thought I’d ‘lost’ over the years.
I would be remiss not to add that I’m thankful for the many
new friends I’ve made through social media sites and through the
heritage, genealogical and lineage societies that I’ve joined. So many wonderful people.
I’m also extremely thankful for the fact that I chose to
be a teacher those forty-plus years ago. I know that teaching has become much
more difficult in recent days than when I was in the classroom, but I’m
thankful that so many young people are choosing that profession. There is nothing in the world more wonderful
than to have a former student tell you how much you meant to them and what an
impact you had on their lives. Maybe I
could have made more money in another profession, but I would have never had
the ‘riches’ of those grateful former students. I would also never have had the
wealth of memories: mostly uplifting, positive, funny and heart-warming; others
heart-breaking and depressing; and luckily only a few frustrating and
infuriating; a treasure of memories, nonetheless.
I am even thankful for my health. For those of you who really know me, you may
be questioning my sanity right about now. But when everything is put in
perspective, I can still walk, talk, stand, and function fairly well, and for that I’m very thankful! And I can certainly still write – which I
need to do more often.
Finally, I’m thankful to you if you read this. I’ll repeat what I said before, that I’m
writing this because of my cousin’s strength and ability to carry on in the
face of such tragedy. I know that her children knew that she loved them and was especially thankful for
them.
I want my family and friends to know
that as well.
“In every thing
give thanks….” (The Bible; 1st
Thessalonians 5:18)
Yes we do need to stop and give thanks. Your post reminded me of this. Maybe I should make a special point of it on Thursday. I think of six broad categories when I think of being thankful. Health and Strength. Church and County. Family and Friends. What I need is to be more specific on the things I am thankful for. Maybe you would call them the tender mercies.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely 'tender mercies.' Thanks for your comment, Grant. I like your 'categories!'
DeleteBeautiful, Carla. When I first got on Facebook this morning I had no idea what I was going to put on there. I guess because Clay died on Jan 5, 1996, right after Christmas, that I think of him even more this time of year. The first 6 years after he died I was a basket case, it hurt to breathe. But the Lord kept reminding me how strong Clay was,he never complained, if he woke up that morning it was a wonderful day. As difficult as the last two years of his life was, it was, in a way, the best two years. I was with him every day taking care of him, watching silly shows on T.V., listening to the country music he loved. Which I still cannot listen to after all this time. Got to tell him I loved him in many ways, for that I am so thankful. My daughter Connie lived in another state, did not get to spend the times with her, her husband was very controling, kept her away from family, but at the last I got to see her and tell her I loved her, she was a wonderful woman, a great mom. I know there is a God,I have known him since I was a child, and we will all be with him in Heaven one day.
ReplyDeleteThank YOU for your courage and strength...and for your inspiration that helped me write this. I needed to say these things.
DeleteYou have shown us all the 'peace that passeth all understanding.'
All my love...
Beautifully written.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Susan. I'm glad you read it. :)
Delete