Happiness Thanksgiving

What makes you happy? 

I was writing down what I was thankful for and it occurred to me that some of the things that I am grateful for are not what you'd think. 

For many years, I was glad to be the one working in the kitchen, preparing the turkey and dressing with all the trimmings.  It made me feel close to my mother and I have to admit that I was a little proud to have learned the skills that allowed me to feed my family good food.  I didn't feel stuck; when and if the kids started to drop in, I knew they'd come in and help out one way or the other.  But still, it was work; it took a special effort.  Sometimes, I find that work is therapeutic for what ails 'ya.

I don't have the large house these days; most of my children live elsewhere--as in another hemisphere.  I spend a lot of time online, playing word games and doing genealogy.  This is my second Thanksgiving without my husband.  The turkey is smaller and I don't know if I will have all the trimmings.  But I know one thing: I couldn't cook in my small kitchen until the floor was clean. 

So, I left my recliner and swept and mopped as well as I could with a bad back.  Afterwards, I felt happy.  I was happy that I could do something to help myself and if it was done somewhat imperfectly, it gives me something to work on, tomorrow.