The Gratitude Attitude

It doesn't take the upcoming holiday to make me think of all the things I'm thankful for.  Not really.  Little thihngs pop into my head on a daily basis that have me sending up a silent prayer of thanks.  I'm frequently thankful, for example, for men.

Oh, not for the reasons you all are thinking.  I make no secret of the fact that I'm height challenged.  And techno-challenged.  And sadly, I also have no sense of direction.  It comes in handy to live with someone who doesn't qualify as tall, but who can reach something on top of the referigerator without dragging out the step stool.  Who can open jars and stuck windows.  And who has a suggestion when I call him from the landline to complain about my cell phone not working.  (Ohhhh.  *That's* what that button is for.)  He also programs the in-dash GPS system before I set out for a trip.  Maybe he's just concerned about getting the Suburban back eventually, but still--appreciated.

I'm also frequently thanksful that I don't live in the Mid East.  No bias here, but I tend to think I'd fare poorly in a climate where women are supposed to act quiet and subservient, at least in public.  Demure is beyond me.  I'd be the poster girl for public caning, so it's just as well that I was born in the U.S. where everyone loves a smart ass.  Or at least can't beat them legally.

Throughout the years when all the kids were home, I said a frequent prayer of thanks that I had four boys and one girl and not vice versa.  I'm hugely grateful for my daughter, and my life would be much much emptier without her.  But if I'd had to raise more than one of her...prison orange is an unattractive color on *anyone*.

There's more, of course.  I'm thankful for Mark Harmon and Johnny Depp (because a girl's gotta dream).  For books and movies that entertain and provoke thought.  Democracy.  For job stability.  Health. My family.  For that new stuff that makes my eyelashes longer .  For the Internet.  For online shopping and free shipping.  And for white sand beaches edged with turquoise waters.

Kylie Brant
www.kyliebrant.com