Note: Christmas is often a good time for reflection. Please accept this entry as my gift to many of you. And I hope you know who you are!
By Jeff Orvis
Gratitude.
That may seem like a topic better
suited for Thanksgiving, but as we have a little time around the
Christmas and New Year holidays to reflect on what has happened to us
in the ending year, it's a good time to take stock in some happenings
and people that we all too often may take for granted.
When people sit down to write this
sort of blog, there's always a danger that the reader may wonder why,
if he or she is included, they are not higher in the order of
thoughts. So as a sort of disclaimer, if you are mentioned, the order
in which you appear has no bearing on how important you are to me.
And if you think you should have been mentioned but aren't, remember
the writer recently reached the official senior citizen status.
Senior citizen. When we were in our
teens or twenties, we probably thought that designation was reserved
for our grandparents. Few of us ever thought we would reach that age.
We were too busy chasing grades, girls (or boys) and that first job.
But I can tell you, from my limited experience so far, being a senior
citizen ain't all bad. First of all, you've probably outlived all
your teachers who would claim you can't use the word “ain't.”
Then there's the ready-made excuse when you forget something that
those things happen when you have over 60 years of memories to sort
through!
So I can say I am grateful for being a
senior citizen in fairly good health. Sure, there are some issues
that I regularly visit with my medical professional about. But with
God's help, I hope to be around for quite a few more years.
Of course I am grateful for my family.
I have a police scanner playing all day here in the apartment and
believe me, after hearing some of the calls our local law enforcement
has to handle, having a family you love, am proud of and can count on
is a true gift. My sister Missy and her husband, Richard, have been
so supportive since Mom died and left me to be the executor of her
estate and the years following. They have spent many of their married
years living in bustling metropolises like Dallas, Shreveport and
Jacksonville. They are probably still wondering why I chose to live
in a town of just under 3,000 not once, but twice. But that's another
part of this whole gratitude thing that I'll get to in a moment.
Two of Missy and Richard's closest
friends are Lynn and Eric Johnson. I won't say I stole them as a
second sister and brother, but they are proud Iowans! Lynn calls a
few times each week just to check up on me. She is a big sports fan,
although I'm still trying to convince her that the Cubs will be the
next Chicago team in the World Series, not the White Sox. We had a
mutual long distance celebration last winter when the Blackhawks won
the Stanley Cup. Yes, she's turned me into a hockey fan!
Eric and their son, Aaron, spent a
Saturday a couple of years ago moving me here from Davenport, for
which I am super grateful. Their younger son, Ethan, is starting a
career as a teacher in the Davenport Schools. Sorry Ethan, I was
going to say an “exciting career,” and I realize it is for you.
But I never was a fan of math when I was in school.
Getting back to other relatives for a
moment, my niece and nephew are raising young families and that's
exciting. Laura has found the love of her life and she and Kevin are
raising her son, Warren, who has started school. Warren recently
relinquished some of the honors as most photographed grandchild in
the world when my nephew, Chris and his wife, Erin, welcomed Gavin
into the world. Laura, Kevin and Warren live in Jacksonville and
Chris, Erin and Gavin recently moved to the Dallas area. And yes, I
am scouting from afar, watching the physical development and sports
interests of both of my grandnephews to see if I should alert the
Hawkeye basketball or football offices of the possible future
recruits.
I think I've mentioned this before,
but once again I am remembering to be grateful for the Belle Plaine
family. When people ask me why I moved back here, even though I was
entering the senior part of my life, part of it was economics. Part
of it was apartment availability, but more important was knowing that
many of my Facebook friends live here. It took less than an hour
after I arrived back in town to be recognized and welcomed on Main
Street.
I am also grateful for modern
technology, specifically the internet and Facebook. I can sit here at
the desktop or in my recliner with my Kindle and instantly be
connected with friends and family from Florida to Texas, from
Colorado to Vegas, from Washington State to Maine.
Through Facebook, I am grateful that I
still have friends who tolerate my opinion. Even those who don't
agree with me often present informed opinions of their own. I may not
agree with them all the time, but at least they take the time to
state their side.
As we prepare to dive head-first into
2016, there will be plenty of highs and lows for all of us. There
always are. It's a presidential election year and by the time we are
finished with our February caucuses in Iowa, we will be counting the
days until the general election is behind us.
Maybe by the time we know who our next
president will be, I will have unpacked the last of the boxes my move
warriors moved for me. I may even clean out a bunch of stuff from my
storage unit. Or maybe that resolution may have to wait until 2017!
Let's all hope and pray that when we
stop to reflect on the events of 2016 this time next year, we will
all have many things to be grateful for!
No comments:
Post a Comment