It is a fresh, new day, a brand-spankin' new morning, a blank page on which to write another chapter, or even paragraph of my life. The kids are off to school, the house is quiet. This morning I sit inside in my favorite rocking chair. I usually like to sit out on the deck, taking in the morning air and sounds, but it rained yesterday evening and a bit through the night, so the benches and patio furniture are too wet. It is also much cooler out, and the skies look like they may not be done releasing their moisture. I sip my morning coffee, steaming hot, with just the right amount of powdered creamer and a dollop of heavy cream, just the way I like it, and of course in a china cup with a saucer. My hands play with luxurious yarn, soft as butter and butter-colored too. I feel the stitches of the afghan I am crocheting and while I do these things, as I do nearly every morning, I pray and think. For some reason, today, this very morning, while my mind drifts along many paths of thought, I look at the colors and texture of this afghan/throw, call it what you will, and I am struck as if by lightning, with gratitude.

I was thinking about my job, praying to work different hours, (not work at all?) and have things easier in life. More time to devote to my children, the strength I need to take care of my household, wishing for the money I am needing so desperately right now. Talking to God, half-musing, I asked the question, what am I doing wrong? Am I just lazy to want these things? BAM! I looked at the bright colors of interwoven yarn stitches and felt the softness, and said, "Thank you, God, for letting me do these things, for letting me play with yarn, and for my talents. then… bubbling out of me/my thoughts a listing of all I have to be grateful for. I started and could not stop for the list would be endless…

Thank you, God, for my sight, my hearing, my hands. Thank you, God for the house I live in Thank you, God for my job. What would I do if I did not have it? Thank you for letting me PLAY with all the delightful things of this earth! Cooking, gardening, knitting, crocheting, thank you for my children thank you for each breath of life you have given me! thank you for every hand I have ever held for every kiss I have ever received for every orgasm for every time of romance for every smile for my animals for this coffee I drink. for every morsel of food I have tasted for sights and beauty of this world, for vacations, for the places I have seen. for friends for every penny I have received for all the money I have spent ( and mis spent) For every cigarette I have smoked, even though I know it is not good to do so For every sip of fine wine for every time I smelled my children's hair freshly washed for every dawning for storms and winds for oceans and the mighty sea creatures for the night and the velvet blue sky studded with stars and the moon glow for the scent of rain for the scents of human skin for cameras and photographs that tell stories and hold memories for the delight of being able to see for

I thought of the victims of the hurricane Katrina, and other disasters, and think, what do they have to be grateful for at a time like this? But if they stop and think, amidst the woes of this very, very hard time in their lives, it will somehow help immensely to stop and think of all that has come before that they have received. It is hard to be encouraged when the storms of life press close around and one feels as if there is no hope for the future. Re building is awfully hard when your mind can barely cope with the idea of just putting one foot in front of the other to walk down life's path, much less lifting a brick.

So, may it help those who suffer, not only the multitude of Americans thrashed about by the wrath of a hurricane named Katrina, but those who are in nursing homes, those who are at this moment breathing their last, eaten by the ravaging monster of cancer, hearts devastated by loss of any kind, to know that helping hands are there, and they are loved and prayed for. And as they have received so much in their lives in the past, God has an abundance, an overflowing bank account of love, and gifts He gives. We just have to remember them, and look forward to our next breath, our next smile, our never ending gifts in life.

Karen A. Lech copyright 2005

About the Author

I am a published author of numerous articles, poems, award winning short stories, and have just had my first children's book published, 51 POEMS FOR CHILDREN. I have studied writing at five colleges, have a lot of life experience being a single mom of five! I live in Richmond, Illinois