I know exactly what you’re thinking. It’s that guy and his list again. Some people just don’t ever give up, do they?
Yet, like the swallows at Capistrano, the Beefeaters at the Tower of London, and all those hoagies at Carmichael’s, what would this particular day be without a regaling of all the aspects of life that make me appreciative?
To be sure, there remain ominous dark clouds swirling around all of us at the moment. Russia continues to batter the lives of the innocent in Ukraine, while both Jew and Palestinian innocents also command our mindfulness. In this country, anti-semitism and islamophobia are on the rise; and mass shootings happen so frequently now that it’s almost an after-thought. I do fear that repeated mayhem on others will result in a numbing affect on the population at large. Let’s pray that never happens.
Nevertheless this is Thanksgiving after all. In addition to it being my favorite of all the holidays, its literal meaning of thanks and gratitude remain important to me. For the first time in three years, I’ll not list any coronavirus-related minutia because the majority of us are somehow finding a way to maneuver around all of that. Our world remains loud, scary, and certainly messy. But in spite of all the calamity, I remain completely hopeful in the resilience of the human spirit.
So on that hopeful note…
… I once again submit for your annual approval, all the things from A-Z for which I am grateful:
(A): My age. I’m exactly where I want to be right now. Sure, there are things I wish I could do over again, but a time machine is decidedly not a concept which interests me at all. It is so much easier being a nerd at 64 than it was when I was 34.
(B): Botanical gardens. They’re sort of in the family now, and it turns out that we’re decidedly grateful for them.
(C): Coffee. A crucial part of my whole morning routine, full stop.
(D): The Desert Island Discs podcast. My addiction to listening to podcasts at the gym and in the car has only increased in the last year. Desert Island Discs is a legendary BBC radio show in which “castaways” (i.e. guests) are asked to name the eight songs they would take to a desert island. There are decades of episodes to choose from in the show’s huge archive.
(E): Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs). Although I’m now taking monthly distributions from my retirement savings, I’m also at the same time continuing to make small, incremental investments from my part-time job to a new account via an ETF. I wish I had discovered these vehicles much earlier because they are convenient and easy. Wither the mutual fund?
(F): Fiction books. A glance at all the books I read since retirement show a huge imbalance toward non-fiction titles, in particular biographies. I resolved last year to read only fiction in 2024, and I kept my promise. I’ll list some of them in the letters below.
(G): My Gorgeous. She braved cancer this past year, and then for good measure added a tooth extraction along with an implant to go along with it. In between, she cooked and baked up a storm in her beloved kitchen. She is, quite simply a serious badass.
(H): “Slam” by Nick Hornby is a novel about a clever high school boy who gets his girlfriend pregnant. His mother got pregnant with him at the same age, so the cycle ends up repeating itself. As with all of Nick Hornby’s novels, humor is a constant. I haven’t laughed so hard at a book in ages.
(I): Ian McEwan’s “Lessons” is the story of a man whose physical abuse inflicted on him by a female piano teacher while as a pre-teen distorts the trajectory of his later life. It’s a gripping story of choices, heartache, joy, and ultimately, acceptance.
(J): “The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: A Novel” by Rachel Joyce is a heartwarming tale of a man who literally discovers his inner compass as he embarks on a spontaneous walking journey. It’s been adapted to a film (starring Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton), but I haven’t yet seen it.
(K): Kissing. Now move along, pilgrims. Ain’t nothin’ more to say here.
(L): Quite by surprise on our fall road trip, we came upon the Lodge Cast Iron museum and store in South Pittsburg, Tennessee. There I was, happily cruising and admiring the South Cumberland mountains on interstate I-24, when all of the sudden my beloved absolutely RUINED the moment by shrieking, “Take the next exit!!!!” And so we did.
(M): John P. Marquand is one of my favorite American writers. His style was to lampoon the eastern aristocracy of the 1920’s though the 1950’s. This year I re-read “H.M. Pulham, Esquire.” It’s a story of a man’s self-reflection and the acknowledgment that he never quite measured up to the lofty standards he once set for himself.
(N): Nutrition. I find the supermarket to be an utterly fascinating study in how others make that personal call…
(O): It’s product plugging time! My plantar fasciitis condition has been arrested thanks to Pure Stride orthotic inserts, which were recommended by my podiatrist. Admittedly, this should have been listed under “P” what with all the p’s I’ve just used, but then I wouldn’t have been able to mention…
(P): “Fresh Water for Flowers” by Valérie Perrin is the best book I’ve read all year. It’s the story of a caretaker of a cemetery in a small French village and the people who become part of the rhythms of her life and personal saga.
(Q): Oh, Q. Sometimes I think you’re as bad as Z. I could mention the Who’s Quadrophenia, but I don’t even consider it their best album (that would be “Who’s Next”). I could also mention the late Queen Elizabeth, but a check of my previous gratitude posts shows that I’ve done that twice already. So I’m tossing this back to the six of you out there. Don’t disappoint me.
(R): Recycling. The city recycling center here recently held a paper shredding and electronics drop-off event. I was able to weed out so many old personal papers for shredding, plus I got rid of plenty of computer devices that I no longer use. Their next event is going to be held in the spring and I plan to get rid of more items at that time.
(S): “Saturday” is a book by Ian McEwan. It’s about what transpires all on one drama-filled Saturday for a London surgeon. I read three of McEwan’s books this year. “Lessons” and “Atonement” are the other two. He is a fantastic writer.
(T): Oh, come on. Today of all days? Turkey!
(U): Unconditional love. It doesn’t get much better than that.
(V): Volunteering. Once a month my synagogue partners with an AME church in town to offer hot meals for the homeless. It’s an honor to be involved in this activity.
[W]: “Sincerely, Willis Wayde” is another novel by John P. Marquand. It is the story of an ambitious and ruthless young man who utilizes duplicity to climb from poverty to wealth and power.
(X): An eXcellent cocktail is a classic gin martini with just a small dash of vermouth. Stop rolling your eyes, dear reader.
(Y): I do love the spinning of a good yarn. A book I made Gorgeous repurchase after she tossed it last year is “A Treasury of Irish Fairy and Folk Tales” (2015 Sterling Publishing). I try to always read a few stories from it after finishing a book.
(Z): Find your innate zany whenever you can. I know I’m grateful when I do.
Blogger’s Note: I am extending my blogging break till sometime after the start of the year. From both of us, we wish you the happiest of holidays and a safe and healthy new year…
