Friday night grateful moment

any bloggers--the well-known ones--took a day off from blogging today, in a united "Silence for Japan" movement. I thought about it, I really did. But I just couldn't NOT do Friday night and gratefulness.

So here I am, grateful as always, even in this world that brings earthquakes and tsunamis to people who couldn't possibly deserve such devastation. I'm grateful that people and animals have been found alive, against all odds, and I'm also grateful that the world is so generous with their contributions toward the relief effort. If you haven't seen all the places to give online, here are a few:
Living Social + Red Cross
Samaritan's Purse
World Vision

I happened upon this TED video just today, and it seems a just-right way to kick off my grateful list, as she speaks of so many things I think and feel about the love of words. I'm not so "spoken word" with my poetry and love of poetry, but I appreciate people who see performance as a part of their art. I am grateful for her energy.



I am grateful for signs of spring all around. From green shoots and daffodils and blue skies--even skies that cloud up and dump rain--I'm glad of the turn of seasons.

I am grateful that even though I got sick this week, I didn't get THAT sick, and am already feeling on the mend. And I'm especially grateful to be headed into the weekend, so that being restful doesn't feel so lazy!

I'm grateful for all the drugs (Zicam!) and stuff that makes colds shorter (or is it all in my mind?). Either way, it's good. And those tissues with lotion in them? Lovely. My nose is grateful for them.

I'm grateful for comfort food. And I'm also grateful that we each get to define that for ourselves, in the moment... no single comfort food satisfies everyone, every time. (Just a hint, but for me in is usually going to involve cheese in some fashion. Probably melted cheese.)

You know that fabulous feeling when you close your eyes and lay your head on your pillow after a long day, and you're just bone tired? Yeah, I'm grateful for that feeling, too.

I'm grateful for longer days, and eventually, the warmth that will come with that... (until the warmer days, I'm grateful for extra blankets.)

I'm grateful for my men, for their love and devotion. For my dear family, too, near and far. And for my friends, and their laughter and love.

I'm grateful that you'll all understand that this list is awfully poor-sick-me-centric. And that next week will undoubtedly be less so (knock on wood).

I hope your weekend is peaceful. (And well.)