How lucky am I? I get 800 words (and published ones, no less!) with which to list everything I have to be thankful for.

First and foremost, I’m thankful for my family’s continued good health.

I’m thankful for friendly, kind neighbors.

I’m thankful for the prospect of seeing the first of my three children graduate from high school, a privilege my own father never received.

I’m thankful Maine has an honest, pragmatic, and independent United States Senator, and that in two years we can vote to replace the other one.

I’m thankful I can read the thoughtful, perceptive, and fearless wisdom of two great Miami Herald columnists, Carl Hiaasen and Leonard Pitts, without actually having to live in Florida.

I’m thankful for having had the opportunity to bike over 1600 miles this year, and for sustaining only two flat tires in the process.

I am thankful for every teacher, coach, school administrator, and guidance counselor who has positively impacted the lives of my children. I’m also indebted to the friends my kids have chosen. Or maybe for the people who’ve chosen my children for friends. Either way, I’m much obliged.

I’m thankful for the tolerance my own teachers showed me, even though I didn’t always merit it.

I’m thankful I was born a human being and not a tapeworm, a mosquito, or a cockroach.

I’m thankful I live so close to the Canadian border, and so far from the Saudi border.

I’m thankful to my late parents and grandparents for demonstrating the value of hard work, generosity, and integrity. Oh, and also for teaching me how to play cribbage.

I’m thankful for technology that allows me to listen to the Smothers Brothers, the Spinners, Dolly Parton, Kool and the Gang, Tina Turner, Chris Rock, George Carlin, or radio broadcasts of the 1962 Mets while I do the dishes at night.

I’m thankful for having learned that nothing happens after 8 o’clock on a weeknight that I can’t wait until four o’clock the following morning to find out about.

I’m thankful for siblings who are always there for me, even though they live five hours (sister) and twelve time zones (brother) away.

I’m so thankful for random smiles (from friends or from strangers) that I always instantly return them.

I’m thankful for cousins, nieces, nephews, uncles, and in-laws who make it practically impossible to differentiate between “family” and “friends.”

I’m thankful for used book sales.

I’m thankful for Trader Joe’s, Market Basket, Hannaford, and occasionally Shaw’s.

I’m thankful every time someone thanks me for officiating their child’s (or grandchild’s) baseball or soccer game.

I’m thankful every time someone says something nice about one of my children.

I’m thankful for the opportunity being a teacher gives me to impact the lives of young people.

I’m thankful for the young people who are impacting my life.

I’m thankful to the parents and/or guardians who entrust me with a small portion of their children’s education.

I’m thankful for collaborative colleagues who value and celebrate my strengths, while never disparaging or resenting me for assets or skills I don’t currently possess.

I’m thankful for egg rolls from the Lucky Inn Wok in Waterford, Connecticut.

I’m thankful for canned stewed tomatoes. Really.

I’m thankful for actual beets. But not the kind that come out of a jar or a can. They don’t count.

I’m thankful for generic breakfast cereals that taste just like name brand ones.

I’m thankful every friend I’ve got is real, and not one is virtual.

I’m exceptionally thankful for what I don’t have, including addictions to scourges like alcohol, tobacco, gambling, or social media. I have no bullying bosses, petty co-workers, mean-spirited neighbors, or spiteful family members, and as far as I know no one has ever tried to mail me an explosive device.

I’m thankful for the presence of Melissa, Noah, Lisa, Abby, Nate, Michelle, Tom, Sean, Carol, Russ, Shawn, Jackie, Jacqui, Arlene, Paula, Brian, Alyce, Pete, Lindsay, Paul, Alvaro, Meg, Renee, Beth, Joe, Mary, Kim, Jean, Art, Robin, Cindy, Jason, Donna, Stephanie, Scott, Julie, Bonnie, Josh, Candace, Rob, Isabel, Shannon, Caroline, Rick, Janine, Louise, Danny, Kristen, Kalynda, Charles, Keith, Patty, Bridget, Rich, Terri, Jenna, Jill, Karen, Ellen, Maureen, Jon, Bobbie Jo, John, Sarah, Greg, Rob, Lori,  Phil, Nancy, Fran, Norma, Tam, Kevin, Blanche, Carlton, Arika, Alexis, Kelly, Linda, Chase, Arlene, Fred, Dana, Aaron, Eric, Waynn, Katie, Judy, Jesse, Tad, Marnie, Marianne, Tiana, Terry, Jeff, Erin, Stacie, Jim, Amy, Susan, Emma, Andrew, Laurie, Will, Pam, Litza, Bruce, Mike, Ed, Dave, Jane, Steve, Don, Mark, Laura, Rebecca, Anne, Andy, Tim, Maria, Pat, Aimee, Cathy, Emily, Francine, Chris, Margaret, Polly, Jesse, Neil, and Jenny (among others) in my life.

I’m grateful for….drat!

This is tougher than I thought. When it comes to counting one’s abundant blessings, 800 words aren’t nearly enough!

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