From Where I Sit

By Pat Spilseth, Columnist

The first cup of coffee in the morning. The warmth of the sun as it soaks into your skin. The kindness of a stranger. The laughter of a friend. The leaves falling. The birds chirping. The ocean crashing. The lone wildflower bloomng in a sea of concrete. The billions of stars that pepper the night sky. The bunny-shaped cloud swiftly floating by. The moon shining no matter what phase she’s in. The music that seeps into your soul. The books you can’t put down. The days that feel too good to be true and the nights you pray will last forever. It’s the little things. The sun peeking through the blinds mid-Sunday morning. The fragrances that transport you to distant memories. The wind in your hair. The sand beneath your feet. Laughing so hard it hurts. The art the makes you feel something in which you can’t put into words. The poetry that tugs at your heartstrings. Singing off-key in the shower. Freshly made bread. Butterflies in your stomach when you see them smile. The realization that everything is possible. That your dreams were planted in your heart for a reason. That the little things have always been the big things and materialism will never outweigh the magic we find in moments.

Alysha Waghorn wrote the above words. As I was checking Facebook, I came upon these simple thoughts: that’s what I’m truly thankful for this Thanksgiving.

What could be better that watching the sun rise in the pink, then yellow and eventually blue sky? Or watching the phases of the moon in a dark, silent sky? A baby’s laughter of delight as a puppy kisses his face and a dog’s excitement when his master returns home. Holding hands with a loved one. Hearing the waves lap the shore. Feeling the sun browning your skin as you relax on the dock. Kids’ excited screams as they slide down a snow packed hill. Walking through crunchy, crinkling leaf piles in the fall. Feeling the wind blow through your hair as you ride your bike or drive your convertible. Picking wildflowers. Think of all the little things that make you smile…

Isn’t it the little things in life that we’re thankful to enjoy and that make life wonderful?

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To contact Pat, email: pat.spilseth@gmail.com.