Because a lot of my posts are heavy-duty and triggering, and it’s been suggested that I lighten up, I thought I’d write the five things for which I’m grateful.

FIVE THINGS FOR WHICH I’M GRATEFUL

1. Softly falling rain.

Winters here so often mean a forceful, windy, cold rain. Today there’s a peaceful, gentle rain. There’s no wind, the temperature is cool but not cold, and the only sound is the softly falling water on the plants and the grateful chirp of frogs.        

2. Friends and Family.

I feel the warmth of love from my family and friends envelope me as I travel forward on this healing journey. It’s not always the easiest path, and not one that all the people who love me understand, however I know, and am powerfully grateful for their love.

3. My Furry Family

Two months ago my husband and I adopted two orange cats. Max and Marley have a forever home with us. Marley is draped across my lap as I write this. There’s not much better than a softly raining day with a warm purring cat on your lap.

4. Handmade Duvets and quilts

I love handmade stuff, especially if it’s made with love. When we first moved to South Africa, my mother-in-law made us a lovely duvet cover. Being from Florida, I never used a duvet. I probably didn’t even know what the word meant. The one Val made is white with tiny flowers and hand-sewn buttons on the end. It’s crispy-white-soft-smells-like-lavender-lie-in-the-bed-during-the-day-and-read-wonderful.

One of my closest friends visited me a couple of years ago. The one who went back to school in her 50’s to get her psychology degree – the one who only raised a single eyebrow when I told her after all I’d been through I turned out okay – I don’t need help. We both still laugh about that now, nearly 20 years later.

With her, she brought a quilt, one of the prettiest quilts I’d ever seen, with woven colors of gold, powdery turquoise and rose red. The back was stitched with the pattern of palm leaves, to remind me of home. In one corner of the inside is a handwritten Irish prayer, for me…

May God grant you always…a sunbeam to warm you, a moonbeam to charm you, a sheltering angel so nothing can harm you…

Laughter to cheer you, faithful friends near you, and whenever you pray, heaven to hear you.

She made this with her hands.

I’ll keep both of these close to me, always.

5. The Penguins

Yes, really – penguins! We live in Betty’s Bay, South Africa, one of the few places where a colony of African penguins live. I know…I didn’t know Africa had penguins either! I can be at the colony within about 5 minutes, and watch as they waddle about clumsily over rocks at the old whale hunting harbor, then plunge into the sea and glide through the water dancing a ballet with precise timing. I never expected to live near penguins.

Imagine that?

Life proves to me over and over that you never know what’s around the corner.