Happy Thanksgiving!

St. Andrew's State Park
Panama City, Florida

Happy Thanksgiving!

Two years ago today, I had a 42 people and a dog coming for dinner tomorrow; 20 or so of them were staying in the house.  Family was coming in right and left, we were sharing lots of hugs, kids and adults alike were wired and tired.  All was ready for the feast to be prepared the next day; life was good.

Today, I am sitting alone at a bar near the beach - no, I'm not sitting and drinking, lonely; internet access can be hard to come by at the state parks and it's free here.  I just had me a wonderful order of fries, which I haven't had since leaving home three months ago.  It's sunny and seventy, and I'm still feeling like I've dropped into the middle of that other woman's life.  Life is good.

An attitude of gratitude is easy to come by today.

Thank you for the friends and family who follow along with my travels via this blog.  (And for those who don't follow, I know they love me anyhow!)  It is good to know I don't travel alone.

Thank you for all who have been so gracious and welcoming when I called with very little notice to say, "I'm nearby, do you have some time to see me?"  The answer has always been, "Yes!"

Thank you for the beautiful places I've seen so far on this sabbatical of mine; it's been all I could have dreamed.

Thank you for the kindnesses I've received from family, friends and strangers alike; from all the help I got moving this spring, to Sharon letting me and Joe stay with her all summer, to the helpful mechanic in Apalachicola yesterday, who gave me the two fuses I needed to get my cigarette lighter (and thus, GPS) working again, and wouldn't let me pay him.

Thank you for the people who had the wisdom to set aside beautiful places for all to share - to leave them mostly natural and unspoiled for us to come and see.

Thank you for the chance to take this sabbatical; to stop and recharge my batteries.  Slowly but surely, it's working.

Thank you for beautiful weather, for children who play innocently and happily in the sun.
Thank you for the cold and rainy days, those are needed, too, in this life.

Thank you.  Amen.