Sometimes we lose sight of how important Thanksgiving truly is. Caught up in the turkey or the parades or the standing in lines to buy ridiculously cheap flat-screen TVs, we forget about the need to give thanks and show gratitude. I know I do, and it’s why I need to stop and remind myself what the spirit of the holiday is all about. So, this week I thought I would take the time to show thanks for everything I’m appreciative of:
• I’m thankful for special, un-planned house repairs. Especially the ones that pop-up right before major holidays and demand emergency attention because people are coming in a matter of days. Like when some critters not only figured out how to get back into my attic, but also that it would be really funny to chew their way into some ductwork. Imagine their surprise when they discovered I don’t actually keep food in there. And imagine my surprise when I discovered the little pile of insulation beneath an AC duct caused by disappointed critters. That I would need to climb up there to do some varmint-proofing and ductwork-replacing so my guests don’t find their turkey and stuffing seasoned with a sprinkle of pink insulation. Oh, the joys of old-house living. For that, I give thanks.
• I’m thankful that when I told myself years ago, “You know, you should really clear out all this junk in the attic in case there’s an emergency repair needed to prevent familial humiliation right before a major holiday,” that I didn’t listen to myself. That I poo-poo-ed it. That I thought, “Yeah, like that will ever happen!” and just left all that junk piled up so present-day me would have to cart it out before I can even locate the ducts.
• I’m thankful for futile trips to multiple hardware stores. That everyone has bits and pieces of things I need, but never the EXACT bits and pieces. That way, in my emergency situation, I will have to use a patchwork of items to Frankenstein some half-ass DIY disaster that probably won’t even circulate air through my house anymore. Even better, if I ever need to bring in a professional repairman, he will stare in horror and say, “What un-right moron perpetrated this ghastly monster upon God’s green Earth?!?” And I will have to say, “Uh … former owners,” even though I’ve owned the house since 1997.
• I’m thankful that the more I age, the more I can pinch a nerve in my lower back just by thinking about doing housework. And that the ACTUAL housework feels more like being mauled by an earth-mover.
• I’m thankful that at the end of a long, exhausting day spent crouching for hours in a hot attic and covered in itchy insulation and who-know-what else, my wife doesn’t blink an eye when she sees me grab a beer and carry it up to the shower with me.
• I’m thankful that after surviving all of that, I get to fulfill my daredevil, thrill-seeking, live-life-on-the-edge urges by braving the grocery store right before Thanksgiving. And we all know that jumping out of airplanes or dancing with venomous vipers is safer than that.
• I’m thankful that my wife and daughter are terrific planners. Recognizing that my family will spend the entire Thanksgiving day engulfed in argument, they dreamt up a cavalcade of games, ice-breakers and other distractions to divert their attention and attempt to shut-down conflict. It never works, of course, because my family is a bunch of master-arguers. But I’m thankful they try.
• I’m thankful for stuffing, even though it’s just soggy, stale bread. And for onion powder, and Broadway songs that I can get on satellite radio. I’m thankful that since Thanksgiving is now officially over, my daughter will finally let us play Christmas music.
• I’m thankful for my wife. (Because when she walks into the bathroom and sees that I’m actually standing in the shower with my beer, she doesn’t say a thing.) I’m thankful for my daughter, because aside from her crankiness in the morning, she’s the best gift I’ve ever received. And for all of my family – even if they make me crazy and argue like life depends upon it. And for my health. And for my dog. And my broken-down old house. For the tree that didn’t fall on my house because we had to cut it down. (Although, it could have done me a favor.) I’m thankful that hurricane season wasn’t that bad this year. And that, if I’m lucky, I won’t have to go back into the attic again for a long time. Especially since I didn’t listen again, and just pushed all of that junk to the other side. Figured I would deal with it a different day. Like probably next Thanksgiving, when the critters find a way back in there.
So, for all of that, I give thanks.