Gratitude
30 Days of Thanks – Day 19
Today I was reminded of the motto of the Christopher Society, as I met to finalize some paperwork. When I thought I had reached a dead end, a good friend made a phone call to start another ball rolling, in a different direction. She did this, not out of some sense of obligation, but because she was a good friend. I am blessed to have MC in my life and look forward to the day I can thank her face-to-face for having my best interest at heart.
As I child I remember watching public service announcements, called “Christopher Closeup” that focused on inclusion, social justice, living a righteous life and being good to one another. Founded by Father James Keller, a Catholic priest from the Maryknoll order, I was drawn to their commitment to tolerance. While my beliefs have expanded to include Eastern religions, earth-based and pagan spiritual practices, secular and Catholic rituals, the message of The Christophers, Inc. resonates more each day.
30 Days of Thanks – Day 17
I am thankful to live in a City that embraces spiritual and faith openness and religious tolerance. ALL faiths, or spiritual/non-spiritual paths, are equally important and should be respected, unconditionally.
30 Days of Thanks – Day 16
I am blessed to have three amazing dogs as part of Hubby and my family. Zeke, (aka. “Buddy,” or “Big Guy”) our oldest and only boy, is a black lab/greyhound mix and the mildest, sweetest alpha. Hannah Bean, (aka. “Ms. Bean” or “Baby Girl”) our middle dog-daughter, is a black lab/pitbull mix and the dog I have bonded most closely with, in my entire life. Charlotte, (aka. “Checkpoint Charlie”, or “Charlie Barley”) our youngest and most energetic, is the only Belgian Malinois descended from K9, Schutzhund and French Ring lines who thinks she’s a mutt like her older brother and sister. They bring joy into our lives, keep us grounded and love us unconditionally.
30 Days of Thanks – Day 14
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My Baby Brother is an amazing father, husband and engineer. I am blessed to have him in my life and call him a good friend.
30 Days of Thanks – Day 13
Books, books, and more books! I am thankful that my parents inspired a love of reading early in my childhood and made trips to the library wonderful adventures. Recently, I have had the privilege of befriending several authors – both indie and traditional – and my love of reading has grown. May they find continued success!
30 Days of Thanks – Day 12
Even though I am no longer a sorority adviser, I still receive requests for letters of reference from the women I advised over 12 years. It makes me happy to be a small part of their future, having seen them start to grow into their adult selves in college. I was blessed to know them as their adviser, and continue to be blessed by having them as alumnae friends.
Veterans’ Day 2013 – 30 Days of Thanks – Day 11
Thank you to our Veterans and those men and women who continue to serve in the Armed Forces.
I have written posts about my deep respect for men and women in uniform, as I did not serve. From family members, including my beloved Hubby, to friends and coworkers, I have known Veterans from too many wars. They are some of the most incredibly gifted, loyal people, with an enormous capacity for love. My personal commitment to them, is to continue to shatter stigmas about PTSD and shine a light on the ongoing, immediate need for full medical and psychiatric benefits for all of them, for the rest of their lives. It is the least our Country can do for the people who sacrifice themselves for us.
Sadly, I have received “private” notes from those who see my progressive views as “unpatriotic” and have questioned my feelings. To those “people,” (who know NOTHING about me or my family), I simply say, “Karma, finds everyone” and delete their negative remarks. Then, I donate to VoteVets.org, to ensure that we elect progressive Veterans, who continue to be committed to protecting the rights and freedoms of all Americans. Patriotism is neither liberal, nor conservative, it knows no socioeconomic boundary, and is not ascribed to a specific sex, creed, color, ethnicity, sexual orientation or age. To me it is a feeling of humbleness whenever I encounter someone who has given freely, and openly of himself or herself, in service of our Country.
30 Days of Thanks – Day 8
We are blessed with beautiful weather in FL and the past few days have been glorious. I pray for the people of the Philippines and Southeast Asia who are in the path of Typhoon Haiyan.
30 Days of Thanks – Day 7
Today I give thanks for the women I have met in my sorority, and other sororities. We created a unique bond during our college years and it was the first group I truly belonged in without compromising any part of my personality. Completely different from my high school experience, where I felt like I had to downplay one aspect of my personality, depending on the group I was around – the dancer side, the geek side, the heavy metal chick side, etc. It was refreshing to fully integrate all the pieces into one.
This list will put a smile on all the Alumnae out there. Some do not apply to those of us who are a little “older,” but I still buy jewelry with my sorority’s symbol on it and know these women will always have my back. Enjoy 35 Signs You Miss Your Sorority, Snaps!
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Reading, Drinking and Dancing with a Chaser of Snark 