Thankful

I have a lot for which to be thankful.

I've occupied this earth for some 40-odd years. And it's been pretty good. I have a remarkable, loud, funny family that I love beyond all. None of us make any sense by ourselves, but when you put us together we're a set. We fight. We love each other. It works.

I am thankful that I live in a time and a place where I can be well educated, have access to good doctors, work freely at my chosen profession and have a good, secure home and food on my table.

But there aren't sufficient words to express how thankful, grateful, blessed I am by friends. People I have never met have reached out to me from across the oceans and embraced me. Despite the differences in age, geography, cultures, sometimes even language, you have opened your hearts and you've shown me unconditional friendship and love. And just maybe we've been able to make the world a little bit smaller and a little bit warmer. My life has been filled with such treasures.

And for you, all of you, I give thanks.