Gratitude: Friends and Family

I'm lucky to have some of the most wonderful, amazing friends anyone could ask for. I have friends in many parts of the States and also in Mexico and Canada. As for my family, although there are a couple of less-than-satisfactory members (like most families), for the most part my family is warm and generous and fun to be with. The only problem is that they all live in Texas!

Don't get me wrong. I was born and raised in Texas and there are many wonderful things about it. There must be. I'm the only one in all of my extended family who left! Now that I'm mostly retired, visiting them is much easier. And I'm even thinking about moving back to Texas. After 25 years in Portland, Oregon, though, it will be a bit of an adjustment!

Related Topics: Toxic Friends, Preparing for Retirment

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Gratitude: Perfect, Peaceful Surroundings

As I re-read my last entry I realized that some of you may be picturing me in one of those giant, 40 ft long monster RVs with all modern conveniences.

No. My RV is a 1991, 25 ft long (and I would like to go smaller still). I spend most of my time outside, sitting under an awning over a concrete patio beside the RV or taking walks on the beach or finding the perfect palm tree to sit beneath. Sometimes I even sleep outside on the patio (it's where I'm sitting to write this!).

There are virtually no flying insects here, which is part of what makes sleeping outside possible. So that's another thing to appreciate. There is something sort of delicious about being outside when everyone else has gone inside and closed their doors. I'm only about 50 yards from the ocean and sometimes (if the moonlight is just right), I walk down to the beach late at night to watch the phosphoresence of the waves. They really do glow and sparkle in the night. Not always, though, which makes it a special treat to see.

I am also thankful for my dog. He is my traveling companion, my confidant, my guard (he's trained to get help if I fall). Cody (well, actually Kody, I guess -- he got the name because everyone thought he looked like a tiny
Kodiac bear as a puppy) is a 15 year old herding dog mix. Heavy on the border collie, lighter on the blue heeler and kelpie.

I didn't want a dog. But somehow, I let myself be talked into it. I had only had MS for a couple of years, was still in the phase of expecting major disability at any moment. Everyone thought I needed a dog; I'm not quite
sure why. But they were right and so I have something else to be grateful for.

Related Topics: Success Over Stress (Video), Work and Multiple Sclerosis

Technorati Tags: MS, pets, gratitude