Gratitude

I am really not a perky soft-edged person. Actually, I lean towards dour and cynical.

But this morning, while walking to work, I couldn't help but just feel a big gooshy whooosh of gratefulness, an emotion I do not acknowledge often enough.

Just leaving the house, and in the action of locking the door, I thought about how lucky I am to have a house. It isn't in the greatest shape, but it's mine (and the bank's).

My dogs and "inside cats" are delighted to see me each morning no matter how frightening I look. The "outside cats" who have adopted me lounge around waiting for a morning scratch, and I'm not sure who's luckier to have whom. I look forward to seeing them around, and have come to depend on their greetings.

As I started walking, I noticed a few morning glory flowers out of the corner of my eye. They were very bright white, and happily trumpeting in the raspberry bushes. I know, I know, it's an invasive weed. In that moment, though, the plant lived up to the glory part of its name.

I thought about all the yummy raspberries, which will be ripe soon, and are so close to home and easy to pick.

And who wouldn't be totally knocked out by rounding a corner and seeing the majestic Columbia River. I've never been a river person, but this one is impressive. And those hills across the river in Washington are another imposing, yet soothing sight.

I love looking at the houses as I walk along, seeing all the details that you can't see when driving ... like the front of a house that looks so grand, but the sides, not easily visible, peeling and unpainted. All the interesting little things people put in their windows catch the eye on foot, too.

And, I was grateful to have a job to walk to. It's not a high-paying job, but it's one of the few I've had in my life that I actually enjoy, and look forward to going to.

It's been a long, hard journey to get to this place and time, and I'm glad I made it.