Happy Thanksgiving!

The Thanksgiving blog is fun to write, because I get to choose the best entries in my gratitude journal for the last year. Some patterns repeat—frequent mention of cookies, shafts of sun on flowers, the play of light on water. But here are a few that seem to be unique this year:

The way memory can transform, so that during a grueling weightlifting class, I’m mentally elsewhere—aboard a vaporetto approaching Venice, spray in our faces, outlines of domes and campaniles ahead

The gift of a spiritual director who doesn’t confine his attention to the allotted hour, but follows up with e-mail and book recommendations, CD loans. Without his deeply sensitive listening, my transition to the Bay Area 9 years ago would’ve been much harder  

Waking during the night and discovering: still 2 or 3 more hours of sleep to go!

A friendship of over 70 years—we went to kindergarten together—someone so consistently gracious and generous it’s been an honor to have her company this long. She’s the kind of person who during lunch, long before anyone else has thought about the bill, slips her credit card to the waitress. Or the minute I send her good news of my daughter’s wedding, responds immediately and whole heartedly

The cheerful kindness of helpers at the grocery store

Marvelously (and sometimes darkly) addictive streaming on PBS: “Broadchurch,” “Astrid,” “Professor T,” “Poetry in America,” “The Marlow Murder Club,” “Call the Midwife,” “Magpie Murders,” “Moonflower Murders,” “Mr. Bates vs The Post Office,” and several on other channels too

Packing a suitcase, remembering the last trip, anticipating the one to come

The easy rhythm of routine, so we needn’t think of every next step

Doing a shoulder stand at yoga, straight and clean as a candle

Surprising gift of an hour here or there—an exercise class cancels, a car mechanic finishes sooner than expected, parents get home early after grammy’s childcare

Happy cacophony of trash trucks clunking along their routes, doing their jobs

Unanticipated cards, texts, calls or e-mails from friends, family or unexpected folks

Patches of blue marbling the sky after a long stretch of grey

An evening reading by the fireplace, totally absorbed in Shelterwood by Lisa Wingate

A first-grade teacher who is awake at 3 am brainstorming more strategies to help students who are a year behind in reading.

Lap swim in summer—held between cobalt sky and azure water

The fragrance of home-made pizza drifting through the heating vents on a chilly night

Returning to authors who were old favorites—Merton, Rupp, Finley, Teilhard, Oliver, Dillard, Patchett—and meeting new treasures—Singh, Penny

The steady fidelity of mail delivery trucks pulling out of the Post Office every morning

First wink of a red cherry tomato hidden under leaves in the garden

Getting everything on the day’s “To Do” list DONE

The green shimmer of hummingbirds drinking deep at my feeder

Hiking beneath redwoods whose feathery tops brush the sky, reminding that beyond human concerns, God is sovereign and Love has the final word.

And now, dear reader, in the spirit of gratitude, add your own…