While perusing Facebook one day, I came across a post by Positively Present which was announcing the start of their annual Gratitude Challenge. It piqued my interest, so I went to the website to find out more. The goal of the “Challenge” is to focus on something to be thankful for every day. Blog author, Dani DiPirro, provides readers with a list of words to help spark the writers’/artists’ sense of appreciation and thankfulness. Since I have been in a writing slump, I thought this would be just the thing to get me writing again. Below are some thoughts inspired by DiPirro’s prompt list. I am still working on #6 and #9.

#1 WORDS – My world revolves around words – reading them and writing them. I am thankful that I have a love for words. Words have the power to heal, to hurt, to inspire, to tear down. If I can make my students understand how important and powerful their words are, I will have done my job as a teacher.

#4 LAUGHTER – I don’t laugh as much as I used to; I read somewhere that the average adult laughs 17 times a day while a child laughs 300 times a day. I don’t even think I make it to 17 some days. Yet, I am very thankful for the people I can count on to make me laugh. My husband is never at a loss for “Dad jokes,” but being able to laugh together, at each other, and at ourselves keeps us going after 41 years of marriage. My kids and grandkids keep me laughing ALL. THE. TIME. I don’t know where I would be without my book club, The Chapter Chicks; our meetings have us cackling about anything and everything.

#5 HEALTH – Health is something you often take for granted until you have problems. I have a laundry list of ailments – most of which I am managing, but I am thankful that I can still go to school and teach, that even though they are not as sharp they once were, I still have my hearing and eyesight. and that there are generous people who help me manage the things I cannot do because of my health issues.

#7 LOVE – When I hear the word love, I think of my family – my husband, kids, grandkids, my siblings, and their partners. We are not a family that says, “I love you” at the drop of a hat. Those words don’t always roll off of our tongues, but that is not problematic. True love is revealed in actions, not in words, especially over the past four years. I have experienced a wealth of riches in the love department. In my world love looks like an unexpected helping hand to get through a difficult time, loading the dishwasher, filling my tires with air, laundry, an ear to listen to me when I’ve had a bad day. I could go on and on because my family is the best a showing me love!

#8 NATURE – Nature is my muse, my happy place. Now I am not what you would call the “outdoorsy” type at all, but I love observing the wonders of God’s creations from afar. These are just a few of the things that make my heart happy: the flaming colors of autumn leaves, sunrises and sunsets, the first frost crisp and crunchy under my feet. a gentle snowfall, ice-covered branches, winter songbirds, blossoming trees and flowers, fireflies and butterflies, the wind and the rain. We can learn a lot from nature if we only stop, look, and listen.