Happy Thanksgiving!

Like many of you, I am readying myself for a day a feasting. I am also, like many of you, taking the time to list things for which I am thankful.  2012 has been quite a year filled with deep valleys and lofty peaks. The challenges have been strong and I certainly have been tested this year, but I am pleased to say I have so far come through it all relatively unscathed and blessed by great rewards along the way.

I am thankful for my Family.  Though Mom, Dad, my Brother, and I each live our individual lives apart from one another and, at times, fall out of contact  for longer periods than we would like, there is never a time when I do not feel their love and support.  I know that they are there for me through thick or thin, as I am for them. They are the foundation on which my life is built.

I am thankful for the addition of Edison and Amadeus to my world.  The old saying goes that you do not choose a cat; a cat chooses you.  To have been chosen by these two crazed furballs is an honor, and their company and the unmitigated love you can only receive from pets (plus their downright hysterical antics), have helped to keep me sane. Welcome additions to the Family indeed!

I am thankful for my Friends, both those who I am close to in Real Life and those who I have yet to meet in person but have come to know online.  Your support and wise counsel are invaluable; the joy you all bring to my life is immeasurable. Special thanks to my "chat buddies" (you know who you are) who have done more to keep me balanced with our now far-too-infrequent late night chat or text conversations.  Honorary Doctorates of Psychology to each of you!

I am thankful for good music and the artists who make it - those who I have mentioned throughout the years on the blog and many, many more.  Music feeds the soul and connects us all to one another in some way.  It is celebratory; it is introspective; it is emotionally wrenching; it is comforting to the soul.  And for as much as I love music of all types, I am not able to play a single instrument or even carry a tune (trust me, you do NOT want to bring me to karaoke!). And so I am greatly thankful for those who can and do.  Whether you and I know one another or not, you have greatly enriched my life.

I am thankful for the written word, and for those who can create "music" with nothing more than language on a page.  At the risk of sounding immodest, this is an area where I do count myself as at least marginally able.  I am honored to count more than a few writers whose work I admire greatly among my friends, and am grateful that more than a few of them have pushed me  to continue to write as well.

I am thankful to be healthy and gainfully employed.  Both of these areas of my Life were challenged this year, and to now be in a place where both are, at least for the moment, in good condition is more than reason enough to celebrate.  My work now is to keep both in good shape.

I am thankful for my demons, OCD and Anxiety.  Does that surprise you, considering all the strife they bring to my world?  Without them, I would not be the person I am.  The need to be ever vigilant against their deceit and treachery keeps me alert and in touch with my own being, and learning to cope with them has taught me much about both my self and my inner strength.

I am thankful for you, my Readers.  Your feedback and encouragement keeps me going, keeps me writing, keeps me sharing, and lets me know I'm not alone in my craziness.  I thank you for spreading the word about my blog by sharing posts and telling friends.

I wish each of you a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!