A Gratitude Break After 15 Days Of Writing For National Blog Posting Month (Oy!)

After fifteen days of writing for National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) I'm taking it a little easier today. As I write this it's late afternoon, and I'm enjoying the view of our mountain so softly lit by the setting sun. The snow barely covers the ground, reminding me that another winter is soon upon us and with it comes the dreaded permanent chill in the air.

The quiet in the house is comforting, the only sound are the bells on my cats' collars. It soothes me in ways I can't explain. And so I reflect.

Recently I was asked to create a gratitude challenge for MultipleSclerosis.net, the health website I write for. Often, the holidays are a difficult time for people living with chronic illness, making it important to remember what we're grateful for instead of focusing on our illness. This issue is not exclusive to those with disabilities. It can also be a lonely or stressful time for others.

I posted three things I am grateful for with accompanying photos. With Thanksgiving coming, I thought I'd write a (very) short gratitude post for my 16th day of NaBloPoMo.

I am grateful that our son had a chance to get to know his great-grandparents.

And that all four of his grandparents are an integral part of his life.

I am grateful I have had an opportunity to travel to see loved ones, and to explore new places.

I am more than grateful for every experience I've had, both good and bad, that helped shape my life to bring me to this moment. Because right now I am grateful to you, dear reader, for your comments, encouragement and support. You have enriched me in ways that I never anticipated or take for granted. I humbly thank you.

Have a wonderful Sunday and an empowering week.

Freedom, Voting And My Grandparents

As I walked into Target I noticed several people staring at me. Wondering what they were looking at, I tussled my curls with my fingers in case they looked particularly Don King-ish again. Then I quickly glanced down at my clothing and suddenly I was reminded that the “I Voted” sticker with its tiny American flag was still attached to my sweater.

I’d forgotten about it because I was damn proud to wear it.

The first time I was eligible to vote in a presidential race was in 1980 when incumbent President Jimmy Carter ran against California Governor Ronald Reagan and Republican Congressman John Anderson, who ran as an Independent. Away at school I mailed in my absentee ballot.

It was a proud moment in time for me.

I’ve always been proud to be an American and the freedoms that we enjoy. As a woman I’m proud and thankful for the woman suffragists who came before me, fighting for the right for women to vote.

I have others to thank as well.

My maternal great-grandparents were forced to flee Russia amid the waves of pogroms that set out to annihilate Jews who were being persecuted in droves. My beloved grandmother used to tell me stories about escaping as a little girl. Her stories reminded me of the little town of Avatevka in "Fiddler on the Roof" and highlighted the heartache of leaving behind loved ones with the hope of finding a better world.

My paternal grandparents had the wisdom and foresight to realize it was time to leave their homeland of Germany weeks before Kristallnacht (or “The Night of Broken Glass”) when the Nazi paramilitary carried out a series of coordinated attacks against the Jews. With two young sons in tow, they escaped the most heinous crimes against humanity by sailing to America with the promise of hope and freedom.

Their ultimate sacrifices of leaving behind family and friends to escape to a new world of freedom allowed me to live a rich, full life in America. I never thought much about it as I was growing up because my childhood was filled with magic in a town that felt very Mayberryesque.

It wasn't until my first absentee ballot when I realized I had a lot to be thankful for.

I think it’s the human condition to take things for granted. As Americans we are used to our freedoms. Freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of religion are a small sampling of what we enjoy according to The Bill of Rights.

We also need to give thanks to our Founding Fathers for writing and ratifying the amendments to the Constitution that originally provided us with our freedoms.

This Thanksgiving we are headed to Boston for a much needed semi-vacation. Rich in American history, Boston is the perfect place to be mindful of all my family and I have to be thankful for.

As we sit down together for our Turkey Day meal, I plan on taking the time to reflect on all of my blessings. I have so much to be thankful for, and am grateful for the many freedoms my forebears allowed me to have today.

What are you thankful for?

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