Monday October 11th, 2010

The exercise:

Seeing as today is Thanksgiving here in Canada, I have a question for all of you fine folk: what are you thankful for?

We got back to work in the cabin today, with much appreciated assistance from Kat's parents. We got the old oven onto the truck, moved the old fridge downstairs for extra storage, put the new fridge (kindly donated by Kat's aunt and uncle in Penticton) in its place, and I finally finished up the insulation work in the basement. Plus lots of cleaning and Kat graced a few more walls with another coat of paint.

Hurray for progress!

Mine:

I'm thankful for wide open spaces. For being able to see distant hills and know that only a handful of houses, some trees and grapevines, and maybe a road or two stand between us. For the massive swathe of sky I can contemplate during my daydreams.

I'm thankful for the birds that call the area around this house home. They might get a bit noisy sometimes but their chirps and calls are about a billion times better than car horns and the constant hum of traffic.

I'm thankful for this new home. For the silence and amazing night sky that surround it. For warm summer nights and crisp fall days.

I'm thankful for being blessed with the love and support of friends and family, both old and new. I surely wouldn't have made it this far without them.

I'm thankful for writing. I'm pretty sure my head would have exploded by now without this creative outlet.

I'm thankful for the land. For the garden, for the orchard. For the chance to work outside in both. For the opportunity to hibernate through the winter.

I'm thankful for my wife. Who and where would I be without her? A much less happy, less satisfied place, there's not doubt of that.

I'm thankful for the people that read and comment on this blog. I'd still do this for my own sake if you guys weren't around, but it's a hell of a lot more fun with you here.

8 comments:

Greg said...

Happy Thanksgiving! With all that work you got done on the cabin it seems like you never actually have a day off, but I guess it all depends on how much you enjoy what your doing as to what feels like work and what not. And I am still kind of envious for your new life!

Except perhaps for the last two, I completely understand your list of thanks; for the last two I don't think I've got either of those things.

Mine:
- I'm thankful for mathematics, which is always there when I'm feeling stressed and need a break from the real world.
- I'm thankful for a job I've been able to enjoy over the last nine years.
- I'm thankful that I've been able to regularly change the focus of my job over these nine years, so it's not been doing the same thing over and over again.
- I'm thankful for this blog, as it keeps me writing when I'm short of time and might otherwise push it to one side.
- I'm also thankful for Protagonize, for introducing me to a wonderfully varied and talented group of writers.

There's more, but I'll stop there and save some comment space for other people!

Zhongming said...

Marc – Eh, that’s an incredible list of gratitude :)

Greg – it won’t be fun not without reading your post, it never fails to inspire me to write something. And I think you are real talent in writing :)

Mine:

I’m thankful for being able to live like a normal person.

I’m thankful for living in a peaceful country that is free from war.

I’m grateful for being blessed to have a complete family with parents and two sisters living in harmony.

I’m thankful that I can see this world not only with just my eyes but with all available inner senses and everybody’s guidance as my eyes.

I’m thankful for all the teachings that I have received from my master. I’m grateful for his will-power to continue his sermon speech for so many decades. Without his precious unconditional love and support for all sentinel beings, I might not have a chance witness what it takes to live and die like a man.

I’m thankful for having freedom to be able to post, comment and have fun in this wonderful blog!

I’m thankful for having read about Natalie Goldberg and have found this wonderful blog!

I’m thankful for everything! Sincere Thanks!

Marc said...

Greg - while the need for days off lessens when you don't really consider work 'work', I'm still looking forward to this all being done soon :)

And did I actually manage to get some non-fiction out of you? I think that might be a first!

I'm glad you're still able to make time to write here during busy times. Speaking of being busy, have you had a chance to read my two (yes, two) How The Best Was Won chapters yet? Was wondering what you thought of them.

Zhongming - that is a fine list of your own :)

I'm also thankful that you came across this blog and have made it a regular stop on your online travels :)

Heather said...

Loved the wedding pictures, especially the one of the three standing with their backs to the camera. I have a weird thing with 'back' pictures which most people will never understand. Also, I am thankful for this blog, even when I chose not to participate. I am very glad it is an option. And many other things.

Marc said...

I really like that picture as well, as soon as I saw it. I'd no idea he was back there :)

And I'm thankful that you share your writing here when time and inspiration allows. I always enjoy it.

Anonymous said...

I am Thankful to be alive. I am Thankful to be attending Gardner-Webb University. I am Thankful for my family, friends, and boyfriend. I am so very Thankful for my accomplishments so far throughout my life. I am Thankful for my blessings. I am just Thankful for everything I have

Marc said...

Alicia - hello and welcome to the blog!

Thank you for sharing your gratitude here with us. It sounds like you have a lot to be thankful for :)

I hope to see more writing from you here.

Unknown said...

Hey, I really like your post entry and the exercise, I think it's great to think about what we are thankful for and should probably do it more often.

Mine:

I'm thankful for getting the opportunity to go to college. For getting the education I always wanted.
I'm thankful to live my dream of playing college basketball.
I'm thankful for being healthy. For living daily without injuries or pain.
I'm thankful for my family. For their support every time I need them.
I'm thankful to live and learn about a new culture in a different country than I am from and to make new experiences every day.