Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Be Thankful



When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light,
for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food and the joy
of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies in yourself.

Tecumseh
This year at Mabon I had a lot to be thankful for as I harvested the fruit of many years of hard work.  I am so grateful to have welcomed so many wonderful people into my life as I begin this my Autumn stage.

The other day  one of the workers came into our group and gave each of us  $20 worth of coupons for the Farmer's Market.  It was a donation from the New York City Department of Aging.  It made me realize just how grateful I am to have found this little place to come to every day.  I'm grateful to all the nice people I have met and cherish each one of them for the friendship they offered me.  They have taught me that there is life after retirement and the importance of reaching out for it. And as I watched Betty, age 94,  do her thing on the dance floor at last week's party, I realized that one is never too old to have fun. What a beautiful woman she is!

I am grateful that they have offered me a chance to give back what they have freely given to me.  I've been offered a volunteer position with the opportunity to come up with some kind of group. I originally thought of  group devoted to talking about our ancestors and learning how to research their family tree, but then I realized that many of them may not have a computer.  The center does have several computers on which they give lessons Thursday afternoon.  I suppose I could ask if I could have use for them in an 11 am slot for our research.  There are plenty of free sites available to get them started, and I can always help with look up something with my Ancestry subscription.

I also thought of buying a couple of Trivia games.  Not only are they fun, but they also help to keep the mind sharp. There are also several online sites that offer trivia options as well.  Any suggestions from you gals and guys?  

I can't believe how excited I am, and it just made me realize.  I may have been dissatisfied with my job, but I felt productive, and that is something I still need in my life.  Hubby made me laugh when I told him.  Whenever I was sent to a training at work, he always said, "That is a good thing to put on your resume."  So, when I told him about the possibility of doing some volunteer work, he said, "That's great. Volunteer work always looks good on your resume."  "What resume?" I responded.  "Have you forgotten that I have retired?" It was just too funny, and both of us laughed.  How used to things we become and how hard it is to let them go.

Be thankful! 

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made a difference.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

Author Unknown


5 comments:

  1. I really liked reading what you posted today, Mary, my dear friend.

    I find when I do less complaining and become thankful for even the wrongs I have done, that these wrongs have become my teacher in teaching me to try to better myself in hopes of becoming a better person.

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  2. I think your ancestry group would be a huge success. And you'd probably teach a few people about computers who have never used one along the way. So glad you found your center and it's great to hear how happy you are.

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  3. What fun this will be for you Mary! Productive and a great time all at once! :)

    I love the Tecumseh quote. So important to be thankful.

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  4. Good day friend.....I think you are the perfect person to lead a new group at the senior center. there are actually lots of things you could do...i.e. line dancing, jewelry making, some kind of art work, a book club....just a few random thoughts. I'm so glad for you .....you, my friend, sound VERY happy.

    xo

    Jo

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  5. The Ancestry thing sounds like a Winner to me and while you are at it, how about pointing some of us towards those Free sites as well. :0)
    Ed and I went on a trip to Newport, RI with my Senior Center yesterday. Had the time of my life at the Newport Playhouse. Hope they do this trip next year. It was That Good and MORE! I shit you not!
    (((hugs)))

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