Saturday, April 04, 2009

I'm Thankful For

1. Magnolia trees
2. Homemade strawberry jam
3. Letters from home
4. Jimmy Stewart movies
5. Little round city birds
6. Sleepovers with Meaghan, Megan, & Kaitlyn
7. Bluegrass music
8. Post-It notes
9. Recycling
10. Sunday morning breakfast

In the past whenever I'd hear someone say "live life to the fullest" I'd be like, yeah, okay I'll try. Being at my 15 year old cousin's memorial service last weekend really made me aware. Not only that I am not immune to loss, but that I've spent twenty years being happy and healthy without giving it a second thought. Why do I get to have this time that he didn't? There are so many people and experiences that I love which I don't stop to appreciate. Why did it take twenty years for this to make sense to me? Lot's of things had showed me how to be alive: American Beauty, Amelie, and Walt Whitman for starters. But now everything feels overwhelmingly relevant. There were hundreds of people there, and perhaps that's why we all knew Martin, we needed him to teach us how to slow down and enjoy every single day. I've found myself making mental lists like this recently. And hugging my family alot and frequently saying 'I love you'. And I will continue to do so often.

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