Grateful and Thankful: Top 10 Edition

Gracias, danke, merci—whatever language is spoken, “thank you” frequently expressed will cheer your spirit, broaden your friendships, and lift your lives to a higher pathway. –Thomas S. Monson

Growing up, there was this little old man who attended our ward {congregation} and whenever he was asked to pray, he always included a large number of things that he was “grateful and thankful” for. We thought he was being superfluous as he included those same words, “grateful and thankful,” in each of his prayers before every item on his very long list. And so we called him The Grateful and Thankful Man. Upon further reflection, I don't think it is possible to be overly grateful and thankful for anything we are blessed with.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. I really like the idea of setting aside a day to be grateful and I like making lists, so this post is my top ten things I am grateful and thankful for this week.

1. When I was putting my list together the first thing, or person, that came to mind that I am grateful for was Mr. Bug.

Mr. Bug and I are as different in temperament as it is possible for two people to be. He is patient and kind and so easy-going. That's one of the things I love best about him {and also one of the things that drives me the craziest about him}. There is a song by Snow Patrol. It's called Chasing Cars. You've probably heard it. It's one of those seriously overplayed songs. There's a line in there that always makes me think of Mr. Bug; I need your grace / To remind me / To find my own. Over the last 16 years I have learned by his example to be more patient, more forgiving, kinder—to find my own grace. Thank you, Mr. Bug. I love you.

Disclaimer: Items #2 and #3 on my list are NOT ranked in that order. I am equally grateful for both of them, but I list them this way because that is the order in which they were born.

2. Oh how I am grateful for my little Grasshopper.

Actually, Grasshopper is not so little anymore. He's as tall as taller than I am. In the last 17 months, he's grown 6½". If he continues at that rate, he'll be 7' 2" tall by the time he turns 18 . He's really turning into a neat person. He has a fun sense of humor. He makes friends easily and treats everyone with respect. One of the things that I love best about him is that he doesn't take himself too seriously. He's happy with who he is, even when I tell him he's got huge, knobbly Hobbit feet, which is only appropriate since he eats like a Hobbit. Thank you, Grasshopper, for being you.

3. I am ever so grateful for my LadyBug.

LadyBug is the most amazing girl I've ever met. She is sassy, witty and has great timing. She's creative. She's thoughtful and polite, obedient and cheerful. She's determined and knows her own mind. And she's a restful person to be around. Thank you, LadyBug, for being you.

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4. I am grateful to be me. Sometimes it is hard to live in my own head; I tend to be not very nice to myself most of the time But today I am giving myself a break. I'm thankful for my quirks and idiosyncrasies. I'm thankful for my strengths, but I'm also thankful for my weaknesses. I love my blue eyes. I love that I always have a plan. I love that I am organized. I am thankful to live where I do. I'm thankful for the experiences that have made me who I am. I thank thee, Heavenly Father, {it seems rather impertinent to address deity using the common vernacular, so I hope you'll pardon my formal phrasing} for all that thou hast blessed me with.

5. I am grateful for talents. Specifically, I am grateful for the talents I have. I am so glad to have several things that I love to do and that make me happy. Thank you to everyone {mom, I'm talking mostly to you, but also to my teachers, mentors and friends} who has helped me to develop my talents.

I am also grateful for those who are willing to share their talents and who add beauty to the world. There are so many talented people out there who have influenced my life. Whether I know you personally or not, thank you for sharing your talents with me.

6. I am grateful for family—both immediate and extended. You don't get to pick your family, but if I did, I wouldn't choose a single one differently. Thank you for being who you are.

7. I am grateful for friends—old and new, distant and near. You do get to choose your friends and I'm glad I chose you and that you chose me. Thank you for your kindness.

8. I am grateful for beautiful music. This kind of overlaps a little with the talent category, but I think that it is separate enough to deserve its own mention. I am thankful for composers and performers who make music that elevates my soul, enlightens my mind, speaks my thoughts, calms my fears and makes me happy. Thank you, musicians, who have spent countless hours practicing so that I can enjoy your music.


Shameless Plug {for which I receive no compensation}:
Available for purchase from ThePianoGuys
The Piano Guys album available for purchase from ThePianoGuys, at Amazon {on sale through December 1} or on iTunes.

9. I am grateful for the beautiful things of the earth. To list a few, I am thankful for the renewal that spring brings, for the majesty of the mountains I live near, for green grass, for tall trees, for flowers in every shape and size, for orange sunsets and rainy days, for new-fallen snow, the heat of a cloudless summer day, and for starry nights. I thank thee, dear Father, for the beautiful world thou hast created for me.

10. I am grateful for my job and not only that, but that I am able to work. There are so many good things about my job. My hours are flexible. There is plenty to do while I'm there and I can leave when I am done. I can take time off when my family needs me. I like what I do. Thank you to my employer for keeping me around.

This list is really only the tip of the iceberg. I think one day of thankfulness is not nearly enough to be properly thankful, so I'm going to work on being more aware and more verbal about things I am grateful for. Perhaps, after all, being known as The Grateful and Thankful Man or Woman is something to aspire to.