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Gratitude for the Simple Things

The Thanksgiving holiday is a special time of year when we pause in our whirlwind lives to remember what we are grateful for. I do try to think of each day with gratitude, but sometimes we do get caught up in the hurried way we live our lives and we start to see only the negative things that happen.

Sometimes the simplest things are what give me pause, bring me to tears:

• A spectacular sunset
• The full moon in a clear sky
• A day of sunshine in the cloudy Pacific Northwest
• My cat sleeping in my lap

I consider myself lucky (maybe that’s the wrong word, maybe it’s the recipient of great gifts) for bigger things in my life too:

• The parents who inspired me to be self-sufficient and independent
• My close family, including my “in-laws” who I think of as sisters
• The wonderful teachers who encouraged me to develop my interest in reading and writing
• My dear husband who has supported my writing dreams without question

And even though we have been going through a very rough year with my husband’s health, we still have each other. I am following my writing dream, I am busy with editing projects, and I just won a WILLA Award.

What more can I ask for?

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

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A native Montanan, Heidi M. Thomas now lives in Northwest Washington. Her first novel, Cowgirl Dreams, is based on her grandmother, and the sequel, Follow the Dream, has recently won the national WILLA Award. Heidi has a degree in journalism, a certificate in fiction writing, and is a member of Northwest Independent Editors Guild. She teaches writing and edits, blogs, and is working on the next books in her “Dare to Dream” series.
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Comments

  1. Thanks very much, I have learned a lot from your post. Well done, really!

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  2. It's the little things that count and add up to what's big in life.

    Morgan Mandel
    http://morganmandel.blogspot.com

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  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  4. Heidi, it sounds like you're grateful for the truly valuable things all year long, not just on one day. And isn't this the real secret of happiness?

    Very good post and wonderful food for thought. Thank you.

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  5. Congrats on the Willa award. I think when difficulties hit, it does make us pull back and appreciate the small things. Well said.

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  6. I think writers, in general, tend to put their all into their work--it's kind of what's required. But it's too much to ask for your writing to bring you all your happiness. Thanks for the reminder to look up from our work now and then to appreciate all that surrounds us.

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  7. I really loved reading your blog. It was very well authored and easy to understand. I also found your posts very interesting.

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  8. Wow! you done a great job, Gratitude for the simple things, was an interesting article, you tell so many interesting points that how you spend our holidays.many people thinks different and try to do different in their holidays everybody has different perrception.

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  9. Sounds so good Gratitude for simple things,some times in our life many small and little things gave us more happiness than other big ones,because our heart has the ability to detect a true love.Thanks for this great post.

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  10. I understand your feelings and say thanks to you for sharing your problems with us,Dont worry for your husband's health keep faith in GOD.

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  11. Nice to read your article it was amazing and so interesting to read, one thing i want to say that may be a spectacular sunset pause me and bring tears in my eyes but not a cat sleeping on my lap:-)thanks to make my day special by giving this wonderful article.

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  12. As i think which thing gave me a peace so its full moon in a clear sky, you see a full moon and stare it for a some time you automatically attract slowly slowly towards it.Thanks for this interesting article.

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