Thankful

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that

the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
-John Fitzgerald Kennedy

I've been learning a lot about gratitude this year.

I've spent a lot of time working, and learning that my worst day being a doctor is better than the best day being sick. I'm grateful for that.

My husband deployed (and he ran a turkey trot this morning), and any day I talk to him is better than any day I don't. While we haven't been married very long, I think we're learning a thankfulness that will last a good long time. That we're grateful for any chance to talk; that nice real conversation is better than a quick "hello," but that a hello is better than nothing. That my mother is right, and there is an art of the greeting card. That there really is only one person who completes me. That we are strong people, and we're doing just fine. But we're stronger together. I'm thankful that we're learning this now.
Being thankful means taking nothing for granted, and enjoying the roses my husband sent. Being thankful means I need to go peel all those apples for the pie . . . and looking forward to having a Thanksgiving chicken for the first time in my life. Because I'm so very thankful for the friends I'll be sharing it with, and they just don't like turkey. I'm thankful that at least they like cranberry sauce!

Happy Thanksgiving!