Thanksgiving Week

This Thursday people from the USA who are living in the States and in other far-flung corners for the globe will stop to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. I wouldn't mind being a citizen for a day if it meant I could feast on turkey, cranberry sauce, veggies, cornbread and pumpkin pie. (Any invites?!)

One of my friends has her own Thanksgiving tradition. She writes a list of things that she is thankful for. It isn't a top 10. It isn't a couple of points jotted down on a scrap of paper. It is a long list of everything she can think of that causes her to be grateful.

This year I'm joining in the tradition. I started my list yesterday and will add to it as we head towards Thursday. I'm learning already that giving thanks is a very powerful tool! Choosing to be thankful-

• opens the gate to a thousand positive memories
• allows me to be content in the present
• fuels joy and happiness
• gives strength, hope and courage for the future.

Here's a sample from my list so far... I am THANKFUL for: Cultures. Languages. Khmer. Bollywood. Music. Singing along in the car. New guitar strings. Taste buds. Chilli. Chocolate. Coopers and Corona. Random sounds. Footsteps on a gravel driveway. Rain on the roof. Colour. In people's eyes. In a cut dragonfruit. The right to vote. Freedom to travel. Moto. Air tickets. Running as the sun is coming up. Midday naps. Sleepovers. Family. Ways to communicate. Things that can be shared. A Twix bar. A taxi fare with a stranger. A blanket. Grace. Forgiveness. Finding money I forgot about in my jeans pocket. Benches in public parks. Covered walkways on a rainy day. Protection. The smell of vanilla. Hand massages. Air conditioning at the gym. Laughter. Things that turn out better than I expected. Good news from a medical test. A delicious meal made from leftovers. Fireworks. Fairy lights. Dreams. Faith. Stories.