Tiffany Painter

We all know how Santa has a list of kids who are naughty and nice and he checks it twice. I don’t want to one-up the jolly fella, but I have so many lists right now, and some I check twice an hour. In addition to the ever growing to-do list, now I have the gift lists, the card list, the food list, the event list, and the things I’m thankful for list. Okay, confession time, the thankful list is only in my head because I ran out of paper to make a new list. It’s more of an ongoing list that I add to as I rush around all day. There are big items like health, family, friends, and my beloved pets. But I add the little things that make me happy for even just a moment in time. These things may not have a big impact on the course of my life, but in that moment bring me great joy. I think it’s not only okay to be thankful for insignificant things, but essential to be happy on busy, cold winter days. Things that I added to my list this past week: Starbucks was out of blueberry scones so I had to try their holiday cranberry bliss bar (yum), the grocery store still had the ingredients I needed for cookie baking and I didn’t have to make a second stop, my cousin had all the addresses I needed to complete my cards and I didn’t have to wait to track them down elsewhere, my friend’s baby gave me the up signal so I could pick him up and snuggle with him, and a little bit of snow fell last night to change the color of my surroundings (but not so much I needed to shovel). I know these are trivial things, but I am thankful when little things go my way to help me when I am juggling so many lists.

12/3

another day gone
sinking into the past, but
not before the show

12/4

sign directs the way
could make life easier, but
would you follow it?

12/5

lap got up and went
blanket and pillow still here
can make it work

12/7

sun sets for the day
season lights illuninate
shine through the darkness

12/8

too early for white
too late for long days of green
stuck in brown middle

12/9

unexpected gift
moisture hanging in the air
December rainbow