The Twelve Days of Thanksgiving
I am philosophically opposed to celebrations of Christmas (and the attendant exchange of gifts) before first expressing gratitude and giving thanks for what we already have. In that spirit, I present The Twelve Days of Thanksgiving.
On the First Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
My little family. I am grateful that Samuel has arrived safely and is thriving. I am grateful that Sophia is such a happy girl and that she is growing, developing, and progressing so fast. I am grateful that Nancy has been able to endure all the trials and hardships that come with motherhood. And I'm grateful that I have the capacity to do all that I can do for them.
On the Second Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
A good job. I've done a lot of different kinds of work in my life. I'm grateful to have a job now that's interesting, that makes use of my talents, and that I feel good about going to every morning. That hasn't always been the case.
On the Third Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
Electricity, central heating, indoor plumbing, and all the other conveniences offered by modern technology. I love being able to light or warm a room with the touch of a button. I'm glad that going to the bathroom in the middle of the night doesn't involve shoes and a flashlight.
On the Fourth Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
Good music. I was blessed with a good ear for music, as well as many opportunities to learn about it. I've played in parades and school auditoriums and 65,000-seat stadiums and one bar. I've sung in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. I've also been fortunate to have friends and family who have introduced me to a lot of good music. I love the power and the passion of music, as well as its quiet and simple grace. I cannot imagine a day without it.
On the Fifth Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
My physical capabilities. I can see and hear and reason and remember. I can stand and walk. I can lift and carry. I can read and write and even type passably well. I have a few more aches and pains these days, but on the whole, my body still serves me quite well.
On the Sixth Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
Literacy. I'm grateful that I had parents and teachers who emphasized the importance of reading. I'm thankful for friends who have introduced me to good books. I'm grateful for the ability to gain knowledge, to contemplate important things, or just to be entertained by opening a good book. I hope to pass that love of reading on to my own kids.
On the Seventh Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
Modern medicine. Disease and injury are scary things--especially if you don't know what causes them or what to do about it. I am grateful for all the scientific advances that have extended life, reduced suffering, and alleviated pain. I am grateful for vaccines that prevent the spread of illness. I am grateful for diagnostic technology like X-rays, ultrasound, CT scans, and literally thousands of biochemical tests used to identify and diagnose illnesses. I am grateful for hospitals, doctors, and clinics dedicated to healing. And I am especially grateful to live in a place where such advances are readily available.
On the Eighth Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I wasn't raised that way; I was introduced to the Gospel as a teenager. It was a life-changing experience (and still is). I learned what God is: not a vengeful taskmaster waiting to punish me for every imperfection or mistake, nor some kind of nebulous cosmic cheerleader impersonally wishing me well from somewhere deep in the heavens, but a loving Father who wants me to become my best self and who will hold me accountable for doing so. And I leaned something I really needed to know about myself at the time, that I have inherent worth and infinite potential.
On the Ninth Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
Firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians, and other first responders. These are the people who run toward the sound of trouble when the rest of us are running away. These people work so hard and put their lives in real danger to make sure that the rest of us are safe. They are paid far too little, both in money and in gratitude. I'm thankful there are people who are willing and able to assist in dangerous and difficult times.
On the Tenth Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
The men and women who serve the nation honorably in the Armed Forces. SSgt Baloo on the Hero Games forums uses this analogy: There are predators and prey in this world, sheep and wolves. But there are also sheepdogs who guard the sheep and keep the wolves at bay. I am grateful for the sheepdogs, for those who willingly place themselves between their loved homes and the war's desolation. I don't think I'll ever really understand everything that our nation's soldiers, sailors, airman, and Marines have to suffer and sacrifice on the behalf of average citizens like me. Even those who are not called upon to give the last full measure of devotion give more than we realize. I am grateful for those who are willing and able to do it. I don't think I would be strong enough.
On the Eleventh Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
Good friends. There are people out there who make friends quickly and easily, who are always surrounded by their buddies. I'm not like that. I tend to have only a few close friends, but those friendships mean the world to me. There are friends I've known for decades, friends I've only just met, and friends I only know through the magic of the Internet. You share your wisdom, laugh at my corny jokes, share news of exotic and faraway places, introduce me to new ideas, and generally keep me grounded and centered. You're there for me, and for that I am grateful.
On the Twelfth Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
My extended family. It does my heart good to know that my little family has such an elaborate and loving support system. I'm grateful for the grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws, out-laws, and everyone else who makes the Martin-Ellison-Swearingen-Jarvis experience such a great ride. I love you all. Thank you for the love you've always shown to us.
For these things, I give thanks today.
On the First Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
My little family. I am grateful that Samuel has arrived safely and is thriving. I am grateful that Sophia is such a happy girl and that she is growing, developing, and progressing so fast. I am grateful that Nancy has been able to endure all the trials and hardships that come with motherhood. And I'm grateful that I have the capacity to do all that I can do for them.
On the Second Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
A good job. I've done a lot of different kinds of work in my life. I'm grateful to have a job now that's interesting, that makes use of my talents, and that I feel good about going to every morning. That hasn't always been the case.
On the Third Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
Electricity, central heating, indoor plumbing, and all the other conveniences offered by modern technology. I love being able to light or warm a room with the touch of a button. I'm glad that going to the bathroom in the middle of the night doesn't involve shoes and a flashlight.
On the Fourth Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
Good music. I was blessed with a good ear for music, as well as many opportunities to learn about it. I've played in parades and school auditoriums and 65,000-seat stadiums and one bar. I've sung in the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. I've also been fortunate to have friends and family who have introduced me to a lot of good music. I love the power and the passion of music, as well as its quiet and simple grace. I cannot imagine a day without it.
On the Fifth Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
My physical capabilities. I can see and hear and reason and remember. I can stand and walk. I can lift and carry. I can read and write and even type passably well. I have a few more aches and pains these days, but on the whole, my body still serves me quite well.
On the Sixth Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
Literacy. I'm grateful that I had parents and teachers who emphasized the importance of reading. I'm thankful for friends who have introduced me to good books. I'm grateful for the ability to gain knowledge, to contemplate important things, or just to be entertained by opening a good book. I hope to pass that love of reading on to my own kids.
On the Seventh Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
Modern medicine. Disease and injury are scary things--especially if you don't know what causes them or what to do about it. I am grateful for all the scientific advances that have extended life, reduced suffering, and alleviated pain. I am grateful for vaccines that prevent the spread of illness. I am grateful for diagnostic technology like X-rays, ultrasound, CT scans, and literally thousands of biochemical tests used to identify and diagnose illnesses. I am grateful for hospitals, doctors, and clinics dedicated to healing. And I am especially grateful to live in a place where such advances are readily available.
On the Eighth Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I wasn't raised that way; I was introduced to the Gospel as a teenager. It was a life-changing experience (and still is). I learned what God is: not a vengeful taskmaster waiting to punish me for every imperfection or mistake, nor some kind of nebulous cosmic cheerleader impersonally wishing me well from somewhere deep in the heavens, but a loving Father who wants me to become my best self and who will hold me accountable for doing so. And I leaned something I really needed to know about myself at the time, that I have inherent worth and infinite potential.
On the Ninth Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
Firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians, and other first responders. These are the people who run toward the sound of trouble when the rest of us are running away. These people work so hard and put their lives in real danger to make sure that the rest of us are safe. They are paid far too little, both in money and in gratitude. I'm thankful there are people who are willing and able to assist in dangerous and difficult times.
On the Tenth Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
The men and women who serve the nation honorably in the Armed Forces. SSgt Baloo on the Hero Games forums uses this analogy: There are predators and prey in this world, sheep and wolves. But there are also sheepdogs who guard the sheep and keep the wolves at bay. I am grateful for the sheepdogs, for those who willingly place themselves between their loved homes and the war's desolation. I don't think I'll ever really understand everything that our nation's soldiers, sailors, airman, and Marines have to suffer and sacrifice on the behalf of average citizens like me. Even those who are not called upon to give the last full measure of devotion give more than we realize. I am grateful for those who are willing and able to do it. I don't think I would be strong enough.
On the Eleventh Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
Good friends. There are people out there who make friends quickly and easily, who are always surrounded by their buddies. I'm not like that. I tend to have only a few close friends, but those friendships mean the world to me. There are friends I've known for decades, friends I've only just met, and friends I only know through the magic of the Internet. You share your wisdom, laugh at my corny jokes, share news of exotic and faraway places, introduce me to new ideas, and generally keep me grounded and centered. You're there for me, and for that I am grateful.
On the Twelfth Day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful for:
My extended family. It does my heart good to know that my little family has such an elaborate and loving support system. I'm grateful for the grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws, out-laws, and everyone else who makes the Martin-Ellison-Swearingen-Jarvis experience such a great ride. I love you all. Thank you for the love you've always shown to us.
For these things, I give thanks today.
posted by Michael at
8:52 AM
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