2020 - Gratitude Day #18 - My Five Senses

Gratitude Day #18

Today I am grateful for my five senses and my physical body.

Through them I have been blessed with the ability to see and hear and smell and taste and feel the best things in this world.

My sight.

I am grateful for my eyesight. As of recent, I have had to have treatments on my right eye for macular edema and BRVO. The good news is that the condition is improving. With that eyesight I have been able to see to read books and music, to see my children's first steps and also the last steps (son Peter). I have seen grandchildren just moments after their birth. I have seen Mr. Kerry's big brown eyes that just melt my hear, and saw the tears that fell from those eyes. And, I get to see his fruit plates!

My taste.

I am grateful for my sense of taste. Perhaps I am too grateful for that! From my mom's down home cooking in a cast iron skillet to the buffet at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island to the Central Market in Mexico City, I have grazed my way through life.

My ability to hear.

I am grateful that I can hear. My father, who instilled my love of music, wasn't able to enjoy it much at the end of his life, for working in noisy places had robbed his hearing. I've heard squeals of excitement over Easter baskets, I've heard quiet conversations from the children as Kerry and I sat on the deck below their bedrooms, I've heard music that has moved me to tears and choked me up, and I've heard a still, small face guiding me to do the right thing.

My sense of smell.

I am thankful my sense of smell has not diminished. The aroma of good food, the smell of my mature lilac bush drifting through my living room windows, that fresh scent a newborn baby has only for a short time, and Mr. Kerry as he is grooming and dressing. I could follow him blindfold through the house.

My sense of touch.

I am mindful of my sense of touch, for I burned a thumb this week. But, all parts of my body can touch and feel heat and cold, softness and firm things, the piano and organ keys that my fingers dance over, a grandchild nestled in the corner of my arm, and Mr. Kerry when he rubs my back to give me the assurance that I need.

If I lost any of these senses, I'm sure in some way the others would become stronger to make up for that loss. Bodies are miracles, and are able to do so many things; even to healing a part that is broken.

Even a heart.

2019 - Gratitude Month #14 - My Senses

Gratitude day #14

Today I am grateful for my five senses.

Through them I have been blessed with the ability to see and hear and smell and taste and feel the best things in this world.

I am grateful for my eyesight. As of recent, I have had to have treatments on my right eye for macular edema and BRVO. The good news is that the condition is improving. With that eyesight I have been able to see to read books and music, to see my children's first steps and also the last steps (son Peter). I have seen grandchildren just moments after their birth. I have seen Mr. Kerry's big brown eyes that just melt my hear, and saw the tears that fell from those eyes. And, I get to see his fruit plates!

I am grateful for my sense of taste. Perhaps I am too grateful for that! From my mom's down home cooking in a cast iron skillet to the buffet at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island to the Central Market in Mexico City, I have grazed my way through life.

I am grateful that I can hear. My father, who instilled my love of music, wasn't able to enjoy it much at the end of his life, for working in noisy places had robbed his hearing. I've heard squeals of excitement over Easter baskets, I've heard quiet conversations from the children as Kerry and I sat on the deck below their bedrooms, I've heard music that has moved me to tears and choked me up, and I've heard a still, small face guiding me to do the right thing.

I am thankful my sense of smell has not diminished. The aroma of good food, the smell of my mature lilac bush drifting through my living room windows, that fresh scent a newborn baby has only for a short time, and Mr. Kerry as he is grooming and dressing. I could follow him blindfold through the house.

I am mindful of my sense of touch, for I burned a thumb this week. But, all parts of my body can touch and feel heat and cold, softness and firm things, the piano and organ keys that my fingers dance over, a grandchild nestled in the corner of my arm, and Mr. Kerry when he rubs my back to give me the assurance that I need.

If I lost any of these senses, I'm sure in some way the others would become stronger to make up for that loss. Bodies are miracles, and are able to do so many things; even to healing a part that is broken.

Even a heart.

Gratitude Day #29 - My Physical Body - 29 Nov 2017

Today I am grateful for my physical body.

There are times when it aggravates me. But, it has served me well.

I have not always taken the best care of it. Being LDS my entire life, I have never once smoked, or had any alcoholic beverage, or taken illegal drugs.

But, I ate too much. At one point I weighed 328 lbs., and was a heart attack waiting to happen. I lost 187 lbs., and have kept it off for ten years.

I didn't want to die because of something I might have been able to prevent.

But, this body has:
Hugged friends and loved ones.
Held people while they wept.
Given birth to four humans and partially carried four four others.
Laughed till I cried.
Walked.
Crawled.
Swam.
Sweated while it worked.
Sweated while it worried.
Been aware of an issue, or danger concerning a child.
Swelled with love when thinking of being with my children and grandchildren.

I am blessed to have a body that walks and talks and hears and smells and tastes.

I marvel that after injury or surgery, it has the remarkable ability to heal itself.

It is a blessing, indeed!

Hiking up Backbone Mountain, Maryland