I attended a seminar a number of years back in which the speaker was promoting the idea that each of us needs to make a list, one through ten, of the wonderful things that have happened to us during the day. For his purposes, this speaker was interested in workplace events, but the same principle applies to each of us in our private lives. We have only to look.
I thought of this last Friday, not because I believed that I didn’t have any wonderful things happen but because I had so many wonderful things happen I feared I might forget some before I tried to show my appreciation.
Interesting, no? The pauper who insists that there is nothing to say thanks for in his life is not so far removed from the king who takes his riches for granted and doesn’t think to show gratitude by saying thanks.
Okay, enough dime store philosophy. I’ll hop off the soap box and just say thank you, thank you, thank you. I am surrounded by so many riches – I’ll try not to forget to say thank you for them.
Last Friday was my birthday. Between birthday cards and get well cards, I hardly had time to do anything but open envelopes. The whole experience even brought out a comment from our letter carrier. How lucky am I?
I will do my best to say thank you to everyone, but there are a few things I want to mention here.
Our long time friends Keith Becker and Carolyn Nelson-Becker travelled from Galveston on Saturday to be here for my party.It wouldn’t have been the same without them.
I received countless home-made birthday cards from all the people who work at the sheltered work site where I office. I read every one.
The two daughters of one of my managers sent me some homemade birthday gifts. The older one, Bailey (8?) made a do not disturb sign for my hospital room so that “no one would ring the doorbell to my hospital room when I was asleep.”
To Jan and Andy Acker for their original ‘incredible Texas birthday incident’ card. That’s exactly how it happens. Be very, very careful.
And a big thank you to the unofficial president of my unofficial fan club, Andrea Barry. I had mentioned in passing how nice it would be to have the people at work send me a card in which they spelled out ‘Get well soon, Rick’ with their bodies.
I had forgotten that I had asked for such a thing. And then, on my birthday I opened a birthday card that had this get well message in it. There isn’t a lot that makes me laugh out loud, but this was one of those times (Andrea’s socks are another of those times).
By the way, a special shout out (me practicing to be 23) to Jacque Cahill at work who single handedly took on the center part of the ‘w’ in ‘well’. I’m thinking it must have been a bit of a stretch. I am most appreciative of the effort.
To everyone else who I failed to mention, thank you for thinking of me and for your kind wishes. I am blessed.
Rick
8/11/05
I am the one who is blessed.