Thankful

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Watching all the ads on TV has gotten me thinking. We aren't allowed to celebrate holidays anymore - at least not in the traditional way. Instead it's all about the shopping and getting the best deals on junk you don't need and probably can't afford. I don't remember which store it was for,  but the ad with the turkey throwing the car keys in the middle of the dinner was disturbing to me. I mean, really? Is trying to gather friends and family together for a nice dinner that wrong? It's rare to even sit down as a family without electronic interruptions - let us have one day of silence and togetherness. The other thing I found disturbing about that commercial was the emphasis on more, more,  more. It is not enough to be happy and thankful for what we have any more. It is always out dated or just not in style Unless what you have doesn't work anymore is another of the same thing really needed? I would say no. And the disposability of today's items makes us less appreciative of what we do have.

So instead of hitting the stores on thanksgiving I'm gonna enjoy my day off. I will go for my run - thankful that I can and that there are great places to run in this town. Both on the roads and the trails - there are hills, level terrain and everything in between. If I take my bike out, there's lots to be thankful for. My husband for riding with me and his patience as I've gotten more skilled and faster. The fact that we have such good equipment - riding is lots of fun, but it's even more fun with the right tools for the trails. And the trails in Colorado Springs. From Palmer Park to Stratton Open Space, we have such variety of trails and plenty of space to ride. And since it's pretty cloudy right now, I am also thankful that we've been able to afford the warm riding gear I have. It's opened up the season beyond the summer to be able to ride under all conditions.

Closer to home, I'll make a dessert to bring over to my Mom's for dinner. We don't always get along, but it's nice when we do. It's also nice that she spend so much time with me when I was younger - simple tasks like fixing booties and playing in the kitchen aren't so intimidating anymore. I'll call my Dad - he live in OK and I don't see him that much now, but I'm happy that we've been able to build a relationship now. I'll get some quality time with my kittens (at over a year, they aren't kittens anymore) thankful that we have such sweet girls which such huge personalities. I'll also remember my Isis and be thankful those happy memories.

And Friday, instead of going crazy spending money on things I don't need, I'll go to work and be thankful about my health. Sometimes bad things happen to healthy people, but a lot of what I see could be so easily minimized through a simple, healthy life.

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