Always Remember To Be Thankful
A rather rough bout of illness last week had me bed-ridden for several days or longing to be at least.
During these times one’s mind tends to cover many subjects from work, to family to friends and to all things truly important to us. It’s easy to get caught up in our work-driven lives. Work, afterall, is essential unless we are one of the few lucky few who win a lottery. My luck hasn’t turned on that yet.
Still a break from work is often needed both for physical reasons and for mental rest and recharge as well.
After a trip to the doctor got me started back on the path to better health I had to remember that rest has always been the best natural medicine.
With that in mind I spent some time last week pondering the true important things in life, those things which we should be thankful for whether they are big or small.
For me it’s about being thankful for:
•The fact the days are starting to get a little longer. More sunshine is always a good thing.
•The anticipation of a big football game when your favorite team is involved.
•Hearing a song which magically has the power to take you back in time years or decades.
•A good night’s sleep and for the fact I am not one of the many who has trouble sleeping.
•An email or note from someone after a column I write connects with them in some way.
•For the fact that winter does not last 12 months a year.
•That I do not live in North Dakota or Minnesota when the calendar reads February. I love our neighbors up north and in the northwest but living in a freezer for months out of the year is not for me.
•The personal sense of satisfaction I get from having something printed in the newspaper. For me it has never gotten old especially when I am able to highlight the positive people do.
•Memories of summers from my youth. Days that were spent swimming or going to camp or playing recreation baseball or riding motorcycles or going fishing is something I miss.
•Childhood friends who are still good friends today.
•The time when work does not prevent me from being with someone I care about. Whether we are watching movies, going out to eat, watching re-runs of old television shows or sitting outside in the warmth and sunshine, I value every minute of those special days.
•For the fact my cats Lexi, Herman and Timmi are always thankful to see me when I return home.
•For good neighbors in time when so many don’t even take the time to know who they are.
•A supportive family which will always be on any list of this nature I compile.
•Spring afternoons at the local baseball field after the weather has warmed up of course.
•A well-made movie that is still as enjoyable on the 10th watching as the first.
•Late night talk radio be it sports, politics or about things which go bump in the night.
•The comfort my recliner brings after a long day of work.
•For my nieces, great nieces and great nephew.
•That I have been able to cover high school athletics for more than three decades. I have had the pleasure of writing about some remarkable young student-athletes in that time. Great stories are all around us and I am thankful for being able to share some of them with you readers.
Monticello native Chris Bridges is long time newspaper columnist. He has earned awards for his columns from the Georgia Press Association, the National Newspaper Association and the Georgia Sports Writers Association. He welcomes feedback from readers of The Monticello News at pchrisbridges@gmail.com.