In All Things Give Thanks

Today, as many of you know is Thanksgiving in America. It's a rather interesting holiday as it basically revolves around a big meal. But it also serves as a day for us to count our blessings and think of all the things that we have to be grateful for.
Over the last few days, like many, I have thought quite a bit about my blessings and all that I have to be thankful for. In light of my recent diagnosis, I have begun to think of my blessings in a much different manner than I ever have before. When I was told that I may have cancer in both eyes and that I may lose my eyesight, my world came crashing down around me. Initially I felt that all I love would be taken from me. So much of what I do would no longer be possible. Then the thought occurred to me, if someone were to ask me what I love to do most, I would not even need to contemplate the answer. Quite simply, I love to write, and in the event that I were to lose my eyesight, I can still write.
The more I have thought of my love to write, I have also thought of what I have had the opportunity to see. As a child I laid in fields and watched the clouds as they bounced and floated about, giving me the pleasure of deciding what they had created. I also laid out at night and watched stars dance and shoot across the navy blue sky, putting on the most spectacular light show. I was honored to have the opportunity to watch a young bird take it's maiden flight out of the nest. I marveled at its first wobbly flight and its rather bumpy first landing. All along, the mother flew near by, but allowed the young bird room to grow and learn from the experience, preparing it for the life it would lead without her. As for flying, I too had the opportunity to experience the magic of a first flight as I lifted off the ground alone for the first time having only God to share in my exuberance. I've seen the magnificent colors of a sunset across a Nebraska sky and the dark foreboding  clouds of an approaching gulf coast hurricane. I've experienced the beautiful smile of a dog as they ran free along a trail. I've seen the magnificent beauty of a whale popping out of the depths of the ocean, flinging its tail high in the air, dolphins playing in the waves and a shark skim the surface of the water. In short, I have seen. My blessings have been great. My blessings ARE great!
Blessings may change as we go through our life, but I believe that when one blessing is no longer there, another is given. We just need to look, maybe not with our eyes, but with our hearts.
May all our days be a day of Thanksgiving.