It seems to be the growing trend this week to blog about your “Thankfulness.”Gee…I wonder why? Could it be that we are days away from that time-tested holiday gorge-fest better known as Thanksgiving? Yup. So I have purposed to pinpoint a couple of things I’m especially thankful for on these few days leading up to the big Turkey Day.
Thinking about gratitude led me to thinkingabout aging. You know, there’s not a whole lot I love about growing older. Certainly not the ever-growing lines spreading outhorizontally from the corners of my eyes. My friend toldme they’re called “wrinkles” but I prefer to think of them as semi-permanent indentationsof the skin caused byan optimistic attitude and zest for life.Whatever you call them you most certainly don’t see them gracing the faces of the young and innocent, the ones not exponentially aging.
I’m also not completely happy with the fact that with each passing year I forget words like “furniture polish” and “windchime.” Admittedly not essential to the vocabulary but frustrating nonetheless. And it usually happens at the most inopportune of times. I’ll say, “Jer, could you grab me the…um…”
He’ll answer, “What?”
I’ll say, “The…dammit…come on. You know the…thing…oh, you…dang….what is it called?”
He’ll say, “I have no idea.”
I’ll say, “Yes, you do. You just talked about it the other day. It’s…Gawd!”
He’ll say, “Let’s see, dishcloth, magazine, NASCAR, remote con-”
“Yes!!! Remote control! Thank you, Jesus. NASCAR?” It usually goes something like that.
And you know what else really bugs me about growing older? Where the heck are my eyebrows going? I swear that a good 5 hairs jump ship when I go to bed at night. It’s like they decided to gradually leave me so I don’t notice right away. They’re probably off to find a new home with some young college chick with absolutely no smile lines (not wrinkles) and who never forgets a friggin’ word.
So, I don’t absolutely love everything about growing older but one thing I most certainly value about it is the fact that with each year I gain new perspective and appreciation for what is truly important in life. I value friendships (except for the one friend who maintains that I amriddled with wrinkles) in a completely differentway than I ever have. I’ve always valued friends but the presence of friendship in my life used to fulfill a certain purpose:friends were fun. Pretty simple. Now?My friends keep me sane.They offer sympathy, empathy,congratulations, good-naturedhumor, emotional grounding, and positive influence at all the appropriate times.My friendsfill up a space in my heart that could only ever be reserved for them.
Growing older has allowed me the more mature perspective to reevaluate the purpose of friendship. And for this I am THANKFUL.
To ALL the friends who have enhanced my life…I say “Thank you.”
Phew…I’m exhausted. That was kind of deep. Or maybe it wasn’t, in which case I’m not quite as evolved as I thought I was. Crap.
Mindy
I thought I was the only one! Now I’m thankful to have met you, just so I’m not alone anymore in my … my … *grabs dictionary/thesaurus* … my … amnesia (no, that’s not it) … forgetfulness!
No, Shelli. You are definitely not…wait…God, what is it called…come on… alone. =)
Mindy
If you’re anything like the rest of us, the hairs from your eyebrows are migrating to your chin.
Happy Thanksgiving. 🙂
I’ve been avoiding looking too closely at that area for that very reason. =) Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! =)
Mindy
We love ya! And I totally agree with you on what my mom calls “laugh lines”.
Your mother is a wise woman. =)
Mindy
Just wait till you get to the gray hairs! You got to be grateful! Nature is dying your hair for you!
Friends and family keep my sanity spirialing real close to insanity! LOL! But we like it like that!
Well, see, I visit the miracle-worker…er…hair stylist way too frequently to suffer from gray hair, yet. But it’s a’comin. I can feel it. =)
Mindy
Oh Mindy! A wonderful post, so thought-provoking while being freaking hilarious!
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Park Wife
Well, thank you Park Wife and Happy Thanskgiving right back at ya!!
Mindy
Mindy you are so funny!! Just wanted to say thank you for being my friend too!!! Love, ~Valerie :]
*smooches* at ya Val! Happy Thanksgiving!
Mindy
ha! i have ‘smile lines’ too! and i think its simply because i’m smiling more than i used to….
i agree – the value of friendships have changed and i love that.
umm i forget words to – simple things like dishwasher, printer etc…..
and how to spell. so sad.
have a happy turkey day!
Well, there you go! See? I think smile lines are well deserved. And definitely glad that you are smiling more! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Mindy
As we get older I think we get much smarter when choosing friends. I am not so much working with the wrinkles yet but gray hair like crazy. Thank God for hair color and uh, yeah I know about that one hair that moves toward your chin.
I completely agree about getting smarter when choosing friends. We kind of know what works for us, don’t you think? You’re the second one to mention the chin hair…I’m heading towards my magnifying mirror as we speak.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Mindy
Ha! Loved it! Especially the forgetful part.
But I don’t understand, I’m GROWING more hair, and you’re losing it? Not fair! I get in the shower, oh I just shaved, I don’t have to shave and WHAM, when I check, I look like Jane in the Jungle. How did all that hair grow in one night? Yuk!
Thank you, I’m so thankful to find your funny blog. 🙂 NASCAR (haha).
Thanks Angelia! I hadn’t thought about it but maybe the eyebrows are migrating down to my legs because I seem to grow hair there exponentially. Gross.
Happy Thanksgiving!!
Mindy