The beginning of the list

Our weekly dinner and discussion group has just completed a discussion series on narcissism. One of the ways of thwarting our narcissistic tendencies that we talked about was meditating on the things in life for which we are thankful. And boy is my list long:

I am thankful for my husband. He is strong and gentle, challenging and encouraging, logical and full of emotion. He balances me in a way I didn’t know was possible, and supports me through situations I don’t believe I have the strength to conquer.

I am thankful for my son. He is a joy to be woken up by, a pleasure to interact with, and a prize to come home to. Every week we are amazed by how much he has developed and changed, and we look forward with great anticipation to what comes next.

I am thankful for my job. Even on days when my students threaten to drive me crazy, when my curriculum development work seems futile, when my teaching team shows signs of dysfunction, I still have to admit that I currently have the best job of my career so far.

I am thankful for my country of residence. At times I am discouraged by the climate, landscape, traffic and solitude of our current living situation. But I am grateful for all the opportunities – both present and future – that this country affords us.

I am thankful for my people back home. Most of my nearest and dearest are almost on the other side of the planet, but they remain close to my heart. The intensity with which I long for our annual trip to Canada and the reunions it promises is enough to show my gratitude for those whom I rarely
see but love deeply.

I am thankful for my people here. It is hard to build deep relationships anywhere, and even more so in a transient community. However, we have been blessed with friends with whom we can laugh, cry, and share advice. For this I am grateful.

I am thankful for my health, and the health of those I love. I have many little health quirks, but I am strong and able. No one in my family is hospitalized or dying. I am blessed.

I am thankful for my past. Who I am is the summation of all my past experiences. While most of them were positive, I am also thankful for the difficult moments in my life that built character.

I am thankful for so many things. I am thankful for the fantastic solution to our childcare worries. I am thankful for my miracle tomato plants that produced fruit even after the stocks had dried up. I am thankful for good books to read or to have read to me. I am thankful for afternoon trips to the compound pool with Caleb and his friends. I am thankful for a good nights' sleep and feeling refreshed in the morning. I am thankful for the maintenance men who come to fix problems in our accommodation two, three and even four times. I am thankful for the excessive air conditioning in my office that makes the unbearable heat outdoors seem (momentarily) like a welcome change. I am thankful for our furnished accommodation, for its proximity to our workplace, for friendly and quiet neighbours. I am thankful for friends who live literally around the corner and who stop by unannounced. I am thankful for access to a large variety of affordable and healthy foods. I am thankful for evenings of games and sharing. I am thankful for guests who join us here in the desert. I am thankful for small reminders of home, like PC white cheddar macaroni and cheese. I am thankful for the technology that allows us to capture precious moments in time and share them with people we care about. I am thankful for fresh banana cake, especially when it is made by an 8-year old friend. I am thankful for home-cooked meals, even when I have to do the home cooking. I am thankful for competent doctors and nurses who care for us when we are ill and reassure us when we are healthy. I am thankful for good conversations with new friends and old. I am thankful for genuine smiles from security guards and grounds staff. I am thankful for lazy weekends and afternoon naps. I am thankful for second-hand baby clothes and toys. I am thankful for unexpected update-type emails. I am thankful for cool breezes any time of the year. I am thankful for dinner invitations and for having our invitations accepted. I am thankful for good advice and those who give it. I am thankful for people who challenge me and help me refocus. I am thankful for freshly folded laundry and recently washed dishes. I am thankful for the chirping of birds coming through the AC vent. I am thankful for comforting hugs and reassuring words. I am thankful for I am thankful for our weekly discussion group that prompted this post in the first place.

This is just the beginning of the list. My goal is to grow the list each day, and in doing so, cultivate a spirit of thanksgiving which will hopefully begin the long overdue shift from self- to other-focus. Thankfully, there is much to be thankful for.