Thanks For The Prickles

This time last year, I had just endured my first surgery. You may be wondering how I managed to live so long avoiding such a feat but I can assure you, no matter how old you are, the first time is always significant and humbling.

Back then I was thankful for decades of previous great health, my friends and family who dug deep to help me through the experience, my little dog, Taffy, for being such an undemanding companion.

The cacti of life

This year, however, while I am still deeply appreciative of my family and friends and the profound things of life, I find myself grateful for weird, prickly things. Things that are superficially irritants but which if we examine them can lead to appreciation on a whole different level.

• The testy question in class that actually makes me think.
• The driver who cuts me off on the freeway reminding me of the value of life.
• The candy bowl on the counter that torments me but disciplines me to greater well-being.
• The ungracious store cashier who teaches me patience and forbearance.
• The tree outside my bedroom window that creaks, keeping me awake, but which I notice for the first time.

These are things we wouldn’t normally desire or covet. They are things that we normally shy away from or resist. But my message today is that even in those day-to-day experiences, experiences that we generally try to simply cope with, we can see magic.

Reframing

We can look on those experiences as learning opportunities to generate appreciation for life’s beauty and complexity.

And rather like observing a cactus that is rather plain to look at and painful to touch, see the value in spines that protect and form that enables extraordinary survival, even thriving, in a hostile environment.

So I urge you to think on those prickly, unpleasant, and frustrating items in your life and look for the positive message in them and give thanks.

And I would love to hear about those plain, imperfect situations that have taught you something as well. Please send them to me.

Let’s make a gigantic list

Personally, I am thankful for more than I can possibly express.

Enjoy your holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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