Thanksgiving reflection

We have our first snow today. Not much, just that poetic "dusting." But it helps the illusion that the world is quiet this morning.
A friend of a friend of mine had a benign brain tumor removed 2 weeks ago and we've all been able to keep track of her progress through the Caring Bridge web site. She's doing very well and after 10 days at a rehabilitation facility, she came home last night. It's extraordinary to me that, after all she's been through, her messages are full of words like "wonderful," "happy" and "lucky."
Yet I feel the same way. I wasn't afflicted with a brain tumor, but I have been through a deeply sad and significant life change this year and most mornings I wake up thinking I'm the luckiest person I know. As part of the Shannon Leadership Institute (on my "gratitude list" this morning) this year, I'm now preparing my renewal plan...a chance to both look back and look forward. I met with my Shannon sponsor yesterday to talk about the "bones" of my plan and ask what she thought was missing. Wonderful friend that she is, she reminded me of how critical friends are in my life and how many lovely friends I'm fortunate to have. And she's right. I delight in my friends. I count on them to make me laugh and as a place to rage against the world, even if it's just something as small and trite as the check-out line at Ikea. And when I need to unwind the problems in my life, I know I will find some of the answers with them.
So they are at the top of my gratitude list today.
Here's the complete list (in no particular order):
1. family, every single one of them
2. friends, every single one of them
3. my Minneapolis community, I've fallen in love with my city all over again
4. my health, more precious every year (and doesn't that make me sound old!)
5. Penland, I may not be able to go every year, but I love that it's there
6. my future work, still a little unclear but guided by my values and purpose
7. my creative voice, something that I've started to hear this year
8. my ability to help others thrive in this city through MLC
9. my home, a place that I've created, which nourishes me and in which I can welcome the people I love
and the bonus item:
10. the Shannon Insitute
and because I really am a shallow person and have to admit I love material things:
*Katazome paper from the Japanese Paper Place via Wet Paint
*the music of Bruce Springsteen and the iPod I have to play it on
*Dunn Bros coffee
*my MacBook
*my favorite candlestick holders