It's Gratitude Thursday, Hooray! / by Ron Cowie

Every Day Can Be Gratitude Thursday! 

I love this holiday more than anything else in the world (that's the coffee talking) and hope you are having a great day too. Here is my official list of what I'm grateful for on this Thursday morning. I'm also reminded that gratitude is best expressed through action not quiet reflection. So, if you're feeling grateful, show it.

  1. I'm grateful for plumbing that works.
    1. Clean water
    2. Toilets that flush
  2. Jazz music on my computer.
  3. Internet connections that are pretty fast.
  4. Airlines that get me all over the damn place.
  5. Cell phones.
  6. My eyesight
  7. The good health of my family, immediate and extended.
  8. Clean clothes.
  9. Fresh brewed coffee.
  10. The New York Times
  11. Police who write tickets quickly.
  12. A happy marriage with someone I trust and love.
  13. The ability to think clearly and express ideas.
  14. Friends from all different walks of life. 
  15. Coffee.
  16. Sobriety.
  17. The Museum of Fine Arts Boston
  18. Father Sunil Chandy
  19. L.L. Bean Boots that fit.
  20. My dog, Big Joe.
  21. PeeWee Travel team hockey. 
  22. Pants.
  23. A method of shipping products in a safe, affordable, and reliable way. 
  24. Changing seasons.
  25. Propane Grills.
  26. The sound of my parents voices.
  27. My daughter's frequent laugh.
  28. New York City
  29. Hot dogs.
  30. Making pancakes from scratch. 
  31. Greek people.
  32. Photography.
  33. Camera geeks.
  34. Diesel powered engines. 
  35. Dry firewood.
  36. Shop-Vacs
  37. A basement darkroom that is all mine. 
  38. Thelonious Monk
  39. Richard Pryor
  40. Barack Obama
  41. Lively and uniformed conversation about the days headlines.
  42. Feeling superior and feigned humility.
  43. Laughter.
  44. The Smiths.
  45. Platinum printing.
  46. Grilled chicken.
  47. People who move their hands around a lot when they talk.
  48. A car that runs with four tires inflated to the proper pressure.
  49. Sharp cheddar cheese.
  50. First world problems.
  51. Work that interests and engages me.
  52. Mild confusion followed by silly solutions.
  53. The word "Kooky"
  54. Full realization that it is my job to be helpful to others. 

Now that the list is done, I will proceed to send out gifts to those people who were most helpful to me in recent days. I will also send love and kindness to those who are just helpful. I hope your Gratitude Thursday is a terrific one. Let me know how you celebrate.