2011 List
1. Travel
2. My house
3. Public library
4. Coke Zero
5. Commute
6. My work
7. Children
8. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
9. Nice restaurants
10. Movies in the theater
11. Siblings
12. Music
13. Nephews
14. Nashville
15. Neighbors
16. Parents
17. NPR’s “Fresh Air”
18. Forgiveness
19. Georgia Trust / Atlanta Preservation Center
20. Social Media
21. Chick-Fil-A
22. Adoption
23. My bed
24. My life
1. Travel
I woke up today in Austin, Texas, and I will sleep in my own bed tonight. I have four more trips before the end of 2011. I love writing that. Even if the trip is just to the next county, it’s worth taking.
This year I had at least one trip each month, which meant I attended a long-desired event, crossed the top two “must visit” cities off my list and made it to two of my top places in Georgia. Oh yes, I have a Georgia list, a U.S. list, and an international list. That means I saw Robert Burns’ birthplace in Ayrshire, walked through Carl Sandburg’s North Carolina home, ate fondue in Geneva, stood on the widow’s walk of the Hay House in Macon and ran into Robert Plant in Texas.
I am addicted to going somewhere new, seeing something different, hearing some other language.
I am thankful for travel.
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2. My house
This is not the place I wanted to live: a suburban cul-de-sac. But two years later, I have to confess, I love this house. It exudes a sunny contentment. The wood floors gleam. The light falls on the back of the house in the morning, on the front of the house in the evening. And I am fully unpacked.
Every morning I stand on the deck and listen to the quiet. Some nights I sit on the deck and watch the flights speed toward Hartsfield-Jackson. On the weekends I try to eat at least one meal out there.
The room I think I enjoy the most is my office. There are pictures from every place I’ve lived, all my CDs, some signed music posters. Bookcases line the walls. From my desk I can see special artifacts from Belfast. The room works – because my mom arranged it. Throughout the house, I see the handiwork of my mom. That’s a big reason why I love it.
This is not the fanciest place I’ve lived, or the biggest, or the most exciting. But I feel so comfortable here. It just fits.
I am thankful for my house.
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3. Public library
The public library is like a genie, ready to grant any wish. I like walking in, searching for a book or other media about whatever topic is on my mind, and walking out with something to savor for the next two weeks. For free.
My public library is small, but it’s part of a large network that will summon a book, tape or CD at my command. Very rarely do they come up short. This year they have provided materials to satisfy my curiosity about (among other things) colonial governor James Oglethorpe; how to be more innovative; Austin, Texas; the writings of Tim O’Brien; English gardens; and German language instruction.
I am thankful for the Georgia Pines Library System.
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4. Coke Zero
Because it tastes like real Coke. Because it’s my addiction and it’s not illegal or immoral. Because one of the small pleasures of my day is a gigantic, ice-filled glass of it.
I am thankful for Coke Zero.
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5. Commute
My 50-minute commute does not involve any time on an interstate. It is mostly spent driving through the countryside on a two-lane road. Canopies of trees hang over some parts of the route, other parts run along small lakes. One highlight each day is seeing a 19th-century mill standing alongside a pond, with a very short waterfall.
When I’m not behind a school bus or a very speed-averse driver, the commute can be relaxing. I especially enjoy the little jog through the town of Brooks, Ga., with its few downtown storefronts and post office. Brooks also is home to a tiny Confederate cemetery. Driving though some parts of Brooks, you might think time has stopped. When you’re behind a school bus or a very speed-averse driver, it actually has.
The drive also wends through an area that was devastated by tornadoes in April. I was still in a carpool then and the first time we drove through Vaughn, we were stunned into silence. It was frightening to see the aftermath of something so random and violent. Now the houses and barns have returned, the fences are rebuilt and the smoke comes from chimneys, not from burning debris.
The commute provides time to reflect on these things, and time to listen to podcasts, or to rock out. It’s a good windup to the workday and a good winddown from it. I would prefer a shorter commute, but each day there is at least one beautiful thing that makes me appreciate the rural landscape.
I am thankful for my drive to work.
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6. My work
It’s rare to have a work trifecta: to like what you do, who you work for, and where you’re located. I’m in that rare spot. As a bonus, I enjoy my colleagues; our workgroup and larger division are successful; and I feel very strongly that the work I do is meaningful and important. I probably have about 20 more years of work ahead of me. I hope it continues to be with my current employer. I’ve been working for 20 years and this is one of the best times.
I am thankful for my job.
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7. Children
Surprised? No, I truly do like children. Especially yours. Really, they’re adorable.
What I really enjoy is seeing how children bring out parts of their parents I didn’t know existed. It’s been fun to watch my friends and family soften, or strengthen, certain characteristics. They often surprise me. And I like finding parts of my friends in their children’s personalities – and finding the parts that are uniquely that child.
It’s fun to talk to the pre-schoolers, the grade schoolers, even the high schoolers. Sometimes I feel quite old – I am not au courant in music, fashion, popular culture or even school curricula. I definitely learn from children.
This year I’ve had the privilege of spending time with friends’ children, marveling at their talents, humor and insights. And new children arrived this year, children I cannot wait to meet and hold.
I am thankful for children.
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8. Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
Living in the South Metro area has one distinct advantage: I am close to the airport. That means I can get from my front door to the gate in under one hour. Boo-yah.
Hartsfield-Jackson is the nation’s busiest airport, a metropolis all its own. For most folks, it’s where they have to make a connection, so it’s the source of most hassles. For us locals, it’s the portal to everywhere we want to go. I like the bustle and sense of purpose I feel there. I ask myself, where are all these people going? Why? And can’t they walk any faster? I get a rush bolting through a terminal and knowing that I could, theoretically, get on a place and fly direct to there, there, there, there, there … Imagine my frenzy in the international terminal.
I’m quite proud of my pre- and post-airport routines: knowing where to stand on the train, which escalator gives the quickest egress to baggage claim, the shortcut to the shuttle. I like passing security early enough to see some of the artwork, especially in a gallery between the A and T terminals.
Even when I’m not traveling, I like driving past the airport and seeing all the jets taking off and landing. On a clear day, you can see them converging from every direction, and one jumbo jet may be using Interstate 85 as a guide to the runway. Awesome.
I am thankful for our airport.
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9. Nice restaurants
I have a list of Atlanta restaurants I want to visit. Most of them are swanky, gourmet deals with high-falutin’ menus. I make no apology for this.
Wherever I have lived, one of the supreme joys has been dining at a fine establishment. The atmosphere, the service, the food all contribute to the experience. It’s like a little vacation in the middle of normal life.
Tonight I marked one restaurant off my list, a Westside place I know I could never get near on a weekend. As a party of one, late on a Wednesday night, I had no trouble. I was led past the buzzing bar, into a small dining room that was cozy and minimalist at the same time. A metrosexual waiter with expensively mussed hair and designer glasses attended to my every epicurean need. He brought me a plate so beautiful I didn’t even want to eat it. I wanted to photograph that pork loin, but I resisted.
I listened to the conversation around me before descending into my book and meal. When I resurfaced, most other diners had finished their meals but were reluctant to leave. Everyone was luxuriating in the afterglow. The room had a spell on it.
But the real world awaited. I drove home thinking about my meal, my book, and how full that place was going to be on the weekend. I am thankful for nice restaurants.
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10. Movies in the theater
I saw one truly great movie this year, “Tree of Life.” I had planned to see it for weeks and saved it for a little art theater in Asheville, N.C., when I went there for my birthday. Seeing it on a large screen, in an older movie house, enhanced the experience.
When I am feeling blue or bent out of shape, I go to the movies. I like sitting in a dark room and getting absorbed in a story for a couple hours. In Atlanta there are two art theaters that I visit from time to time, and every time I go I think, “Why don’t I do this more often?” The answer that is those theaters are a 45-minute drive from where I live. I used to see about a movie a week, especially when I lived in Northern Ireland. Now I live in a town without a movie theater – I know, shocking. Still I would prefer to drive to see a film that truly interests me, rather than waiting for it on video.
I am thankful for movies in the theater.
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11. Siblings
Every so often I get an encouraging message from my siblings. It might be a text or a phone call, or sometimes a little “care package” that arrives just when I need it most. My brother, sister-in-law, and sister are people I can always count on.
I am thankful for my siblings.
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12. Music
I tried to narrow this one down a bit – maybe just focus on my gratitude for live music, for example – but I can’t.
Live music is a passion of my life. I cannot think of many experiences that make me feel more alive, or are more transcendent. But on a daily basis, I turn to music to help me relax, to perk me up, to provide color to pedestrian tasks. I can even self-medicate by listening to certain CDs. When I moved to Northern Ireland, I had to put a lot of things in storage – even some books. I took each and every CD across the ocean with me.
This summer we had a family reunion and the highlight for me was singing and playing songs from our religious tradition. Those hymns touch me more than any other music. There are Thanksgiving hymns, you know. You’ll find them buried in the back of the book. I got out the old red hymnal this weekend and played a few. I’m spoiled to have a piano in the house now. The urge to play is rare but maybe it will strike me more in 2012.
Until then I am happy to leave music-making to the professionals, and to take advantage of every opportunity to support live music in the Atlanta area. I am grateful for music.
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13. Nephews
I don’t know why I should be surprised that three children from the same parents, raised in the same household, should be so different. After all, my brother, my sister and I aren’t carbon copies.
And so it is with my nephews – each has a different level of interest in school, sports, and talking to his aunt on the phone. They are hard workers, involved in Scouting, big time White Sox fans and still affectionate. (One is now in junior high so I’m counting the days.)
I do worry about them, pray for them, wonder about them, every day. I am fascinated by the thought of the years ahead, and what they have in store for these three wonderful young men. I’m sure every person thinks their nephews and nieces are the most special, but mine really are.
I am thankful for my nephews.
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14. Nashville
Nashville is more than a place for me. It’s a time and a set of people and a whole raft of experiences that have really shaped the last few years of my life. When I think about the friends I made there, and the affection I have for them and for the city, I wonder how I ever left. Even now, when I go back to visit, I fall in love with those elements all over again.
Of course I’ve changed, the city’s changed, but it still holds a very special place in my heart as my adopted hometown. The people I treasure, second only to my family, all live there. It’s also the place where I started keeping a weblog!
I am thankful for Nashville.
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15. Neighbors
Every once in a while, a group of my neighbors has dinner together. Owing to the season of their lives, we usually eat at 5:30 p.m. at a restaurant where one of the party has a coupon. We have a wonderful time.
Some have children, some have late husbands, some have neither. But everyone has an opinion and a prevailing interest in the wellbeing of our little cul-de-sac. I like my neighbors because these dinners are not gossip sessions. These women travel, have hobbies and interests, and genuinely care about each other. Nothing happens on the street without their knowledge. Their watchful eyes give me peace of mind when I am far from home.
I am thankful for my neighbors.
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16. Parents
How could I possibly fit everything I want to say about my parents into a short paragraph? I have been trying to distill all my thoughts and feelings into a nugget that conveys my gratitude for them and all they do. Fortunately, something crystallized today.
They called this morning after their devotions. My dad spoke for them, just three simple sentences before hanging up:
- We love you.
- We are proud of you.
- We are in your corner.
This is why I never feel alone.
I am thankful for my mom and dad.
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17. NPR’s “Fresh Air”
“Fresh Air,” the interview program on National Public Radio, fills my kitchen each evening I’m home. There’s usually a great discussion, some ideas I have never heard, some opinions I disagree with, and some repartee that is hilarious or thought-provoking.
Tonight the guest was director Alexander Payne and he said something that rang so true. He was talking about how he approached his short contribution to the film “Paris J’Taime”:
“I was trying to capture that feeling I have and I’m sure many other people have … For me, it’s like when I’m alone … and I happen to go to a museum and I’m all by myself. I walk around the galleries and look at stuff on the wall and think my own little thoughts and maybe I have thoughts I write down.
“I feel just sort of connected to the world around me and to myself. It’s one of those feelings you have alone when you’re traveling or the museum I example I just used. … The genesis of that film was wanting to convey that feeling. “
I love moments like that.
I am thankful for the radio program “Fresh Air.”
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18. Forgiveness
The older I get, the humbler I feel in the face of how much forgiveness has been granted to me.
Why did Jesus die on a cross to forgive my sins? I didn’t deserve it. But I’m glad He did.
Why have so many people in my life chosen to forgive my hurtful words or acts? I didn’t deserve this kindness. But I’m glad they did.
Forgiving others is not easy for me. I bruise easily and forget slowly. And I take great pride in being right. But as I have thought about my blessings, I cannot escape that forgiveness is the foundation of all of them. And I have been convicted that I must be quick to forgive, to make the decision to let go of the old hurts.
Until I become a perfect person, I’ll be counting on people I love to cut me some slack and continue to accept the crabby, bitchy, selfish, insensitive Mapgirl. And I need to do the same for them.
I am thankful for forgiveness.
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19. Georgia Trust / Atlanta Preservation Center
Some of my best days this year were spent walking around a Georgia city, hearing about its history and architecture. I joined the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation and the Atlanta Preservation Center, and both of these groups do incredible work.
The Georgia Trust organized a weekend in Macon, which is incredibly rich in old houses and civic buildings. I also attended some lectures that helped me understand the history of Atlanta – and dare I say the Confederacy – with new perspective. The APC, with its amazing “Phoenix Flies” program, gave access to buildings along with great explanations and tours. This is how I got inside the Burns Cottage replica, a special treat indeed. I also developed a love affair with Atlanta’s City Hall.
Atlanta is a new city, even by American standards, and it can seem soulless and bland. This year I saw it in a new light thanks to these two agencies. I appreciate this area, this state, so much more. I am thankful for agencies that preserve and celebrate the heritage of Atlanta and Georgia.
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20. Social Media
Yeah, I’m pretty much addicted now. I need wireless connectivity 24/7 and I’ve been sharing my self-indulgent ramblings on weblogs since 2002. I’m on Facebook and Twitter. Those are two things I thought I’d never do.
But you know what? Some really good things have happened because I’m on Facebook and Twitter. I get to follow the pregnancy of someone far away. I learn what a good singer someone’s daughter is. I share in the joy of someone’s good news. These are not small things.
I’m thankful for weblogs because they introduced me to some incredible friends who made my Northern Ireland days wonderful. They’re still essential friends, even across the miles – thanks to Facebook and Skype. I often marvel at how reading each other’s blogs put us in each other’s orbits, and that translated into real world relationships.
For all my snarky comments about Facebook, it did something amazing for me today: it brought me the message I most needed to hear. I was surfing around and through a friend’s Facebook page, came across the weblog of a hospital chaplain. She wrote of the difficulty of ministering to people who are enduring a tragedy or unspeakable hardship. I have struggled with that very thing this weekend, in the wake of very sad news from a friend. I read that weblog entry two, three, four, times. It was exactly the counsel I needed.
I am thankful for social media.
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21. Chick-Fil-A
How often do I eat at Chick-Fil-A? Let me put it this way: I gave it up for Lent. And that was really a sacrifice.
Their food is delicious, their service is super friendly and prompt, and they’ve never gotten my order wrong. Add to that the contributions Chick-Fil-A makes to local communities, and their decision to close on Sundays to honor the Sabbath, and you can begin to see why I love them so. From what I know of their corporate culture, it seems to be a great place to work. And I do love their chicken sandwich.
How many retail experiences make you happy you went there? I never leave Chick-Fil-A feeling irritated or disgruntled.
Oh, and their fountain Coke Zero is the best.
I am thankful for Chick-Fil-A.
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22. Adoption
A significant number of my friends have adopted children. That number grows each year. Some of these adoptions have been international, some have been local. All have brought great joy and fulfillment to my friends. Their parenting dreams were realized because of adoption.
This means their dreams were realized because somewhere, a woman elected to give her child up for adoption. I don’t know what circumstances or situations led her to do that. But she carried a child for nine months, gave birth to it, and handed it over to someone else to raise. And because she did, my friends’ families are complete.
I am thankful for adoption.
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23. My bed
If I could somehow arrange to conduct all my daily business from my bed, I would. It’s a humble spot – not even a queen-size. It has no elaborate headboard or pillow-top mattress. (In fact, my mom has declared the mattress so uncomfortably firm that she would rather sleep on my couch than accept my proffered bed during her visits.)
But of all the things I miss when I’m away from home, my bed tops the list. It’s my favorite bed in the world, featuring a down comforter that a friend gave me and located under a meaningful piece of art that another friend gave me.
I grew up in a household where everyone was required to be awake and fully dressed by 8 a.m. I don’t live there anymore, and my weekly act of rebellion is to sleep as late as I please on Saturdays, unencumbered by children or pets. I am world-class in the sleep department.
I am thankful for my bed.
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24. My life
As I close my 24 days of Thanksgiving, I look back on my list of blessings and I am struck that they are the warp and woof of my daily life. Maybe I should have had a more philosophical list, being thankful for democracy or free will or health. I am thankful for those things.
But when I chose one thing each day, I came back to simple things for which I am genuinely appreciative day in, day out.
I live under grace. My life is filled with love and laughter.
It’s not always a bed of roses, but I wouldn’t trade with anyone. I am blessed beyond measure. And I do not take it for granted.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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