Blessings

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I wrote this piece years ago. A lot has changed in our lives since then. Our kids have grown into wonderful adults, and we have a beautiful grandson. Our sons have fine careers and homes of their own. We had Thanksgiving at Devin’s, where he and lovely Shae prepared a fine feast. We laughed, played with Baby Jack, reminisced, read some of the same books to Jack that we read to our own boys. And while life has certainly changed (I’ve been retired since 2020, cancer, aging issues, two of our parents have since passed away…), so much is the same. Here is a snapshot of my gratitudes from 17 years ago. The kids I taught then are in their mid-twenties. Many have families of their own. 

Here are todays’ blessings from 2008…

I woke up today at 5:00 and thought I'd keep a mental list of the greatest parts of my day. Now it's 10:15 on Friday night. I'm looking at the sleeping form of my wife on the couch. She dozed off watching the news. As I end this day, I think of Heidi, the greatest blessing in my life. We met in a college class in the winter of 1976. I have been deeply in love with her ever since. I remember the very day I fell in love (I cannot speak for her). I remember it clearly.  

Back to today's blessings...

*Waking up.    At all.    Just waking up.

*Waking up to the beautiful sleepy face of my wife, Heidi.

*It being Friday.

*Hawaiian coffee. Light roast, very strong. 

*This new book I'm reading - Same Kind of Different As You.

*The warm sleepy goodbye hug and kiss from same Heidi.

*John Fogerty's new album on the way to work.

*NPR, perhaps the only "fair and balanced" news on the radio.

*This subtle, graceful, pale blue/gray sunrise. Overcast. Breezy. Early fall.

*Time alone in my classroom.  

*The anticipation of a great Friday with my second graders.

*The sounds of children through my door. Hearing their excitement at being at school.  

*The first hugs, fist bumps, high fives and handshakes of my earnest children as they come into the classroom at the very beginning of the day.

*Playing chess with a seven year old.

*Helping kids understand some challenging math.

*Talking about the news with little ones.

*Learning about animals, addition with regrouping and place value, sharing a favorite book with second graders (The Prince of the Pond by Donna Jo Napoli).

*Discussing writer's craft with young writers. Finding craft in their writing.

*Talking about the election with an earnest group of learners. Watching together as history unfolds.

*Lunch with my students. Making each other laugh. Sharing story.

*Recess on our dusty field.

*The tears of a little one who has fallen.  

*Playing the best playground game ever.  

*Laughing, running and sweating with my new group of best friends.

*Walking to the public library. Looking for animals all the way there.

*Helping children check out good books.

*Walking back to school. Looking for bugs and spiders the whole way. Finding lots. Gold.

*Singing songs with children.

*My fingers which, however feeble, allow me to play guitar.

*My voice which, however creaky, allows me to teach these young ones to sing.

*The sense to stop singing and let them take it when they learned the song. 

*Listening to my best teacher friend, Tameka, read one of my favorite books (More Than Anything Else) to my old class and my new class. 45 of the best people I have ever known in one room. Gold.

*The quiet school building after the kids and teachers have gone home.

*Driving home.  

*Friday.

*Music.  

*The moon, rising through the hazy early evening sky.

*The early fall colors just now being revealed. The anticipation of another beautiful fall.

*Pulling into my neighborhood.

*That first evening kiss as I see Heidi.

*My dog's smile as she wags her entire body in greeting.

*Our Friday evening together.

*Sharing our respective days.  

*Remembering our own children when they were small.

*Looking into the beautiful sleeping face of my true love as she snoozes on the couch.

*Knowing that tomorrow is Saturday.

*The anticipation of my sleepy boys waking up tomorrow (I'll probably be asleep before they get home).

*Our beautiful home in the woods.

The thing is—this is just the tip of the iceberg. The tip of the tip. Even as I sat writing this, 

I knew that in a single day I have so many blessings that I couldn't name them all. We all do. Make a list someday. Even if it’s not Thanksgiving. It feels good.