Sunday, December 19 I am thankful for Sundays. While I do not practice a particular religion, I am a spiritual person and I love the sanctity of Sunday, of Sabbath, of letting the buzz of commerce fade into the background so that I can hear the cat purr, the dog pant, the child laugh and my own heart beat.

Monday, December 20 I am thankful for jobs that support me, my family, my writing. Sometimes I even think of my employers as patrons because they really do support me in pursuing and having a much larger life.

Tuesday, December 21 I am grateful for my health. When someone goes down for the count in the family with a fever or a cold or a stomach bug, we all feel it. We pull in and contract around the ailing member feeding them soup, taking their temperature, loving them back to health. When they come back to wellness, it is like the balance has been set right and I feel so grateful.

Wednesday, December 22 Acceptance. We may not love someone’s grooming habits but we like them. We may tire of someone’s political tirades but we love them. We may not agree with someone’s parenting style but we respect them. I am grateful for my ability to accept and love people for their differences. I am grateful for being able to hold opposing views in my heart and not have to dismiss one of them as wrong.

Thursday, December 23 In the morning, often before the sunrise, I drink my tea and open up the RSS feeds that are delivered to my mailbox. What a world we live in that we can commune with friends, fellow writers, and like thinkers in India, Vermont, California. I am very grateful to be a part of this webby, interactive world

Friday, December 24 I am grateful for laughter–that breath which releases us from tension, from sadness, from awkward moments.

Saturday, December 25 I am so thankful for friends who join us around our table and tell stories and dream and play games and create memories with us.