Gratus

Despite the incredibly crappy year of our Lord two-thousand and eleven, which I've just suffered through...I want to make it clear to anyone who might still be listening: that I have alot to be thankful for.  

Those of us who have a spiritual side to our lives talk about "being blessed", which is the notion of being infused with spiritual redemption, divine will, holiness or Gods approval.

I honestly don't know if I can tell you that I've been blessed in such a way.  I could tell you that I'm lucky, but I don't have alot of faith in luck, per se.  Luck has to do with statistics, and statistics can be misleading. 

If you're running a race, such as a marathon: I might wish you "good luck", but you don't need such an expression of hope: you've trained for your event, I can only wish that you don't fall or get pushed by some angry spectator during your run: but you don't need luck, your a runner...you need only the determination and indomitable spirit of which you already possess.

But having said all that, I want to get back to this idea of being thankful...because I do have alot to be thankful for, and it's important to me that I acknowledge that gratitude from time to time.

Of course I'm thankful for having a wife who loves me, as I love her.  She's the person I will spend the rest of my life with, and I'm a better person because of her.  I love you Lynn.  Thank you for being my best friend in the world.

And yes, I have my family and friends to be thankful for....which I hope you'll consider yourself.  I know, that's easy for me to say...it's what you've come to expect from a media personality who ensures you that we are, you and I: good friends.  All I'm saying is that I'd enjoy going for a run and spending some time with you...together, in person, and if you think I'm some kind of media star who only talks about friendship to his audience of ga-zillions because there's a financial advantage to propagating that illusion, then: you've been listening to the wrong podcast...I consider it an honor to run with you.  I'm hoping this upcoming year will be less dramatic and allow me to have more of a life...and that means meeting as many of you as I can.

But today I'm talking about what I'm thankful for, and let's be honest: every year someone like me comes along and rattles off a list of things that they're thankful for: over the past 6 years I've certainly done my share of that....so let's get off the old list just for this once, and let me tell you some of the not always talked about things in my daily life that I am thankful for, every day...because I bet you and I share some of these personal items of which we're grateful.

I'm thankful for dark roast coffee, a simple omelet with just a little cheese and maybe some ham. 

I'm thankful for warm sunny days, and clear moonless nights where you can see all the stars of the Milky Way and ponder the size of creation. 

I'm thankful for good wine, which is pretty much all wine with the definite exception of wine coolers and white "how can you drink that" zinfandel.  That red stuff is quaffable, but I'm not thankful for that other concoction which should not be named.

I'm thankful for a good book. 

I'm thankful for my running.

I'm thankful for a crackling fire, in my living room fireplace or outside in my pit.

I'm thankful for baseball, cold beer and a bag of peanuts.

I'm thankful for Doctor Who: the single greatest television show in the history of the cathode ray tube.

I'm thankful for Sushi. 

I'm thankful for the Mojo Loco Movement.

I'm thankful for my puppies, Indiana Jones and her majesty Eva.

I'm thankful for music and for those who create it. 

I'm thankful for my work, though stress-full at times...the challenge can be sometimes an adventure.     

I'm thankful for inner peace; moments of serenity during the stormy gale when all around is growing dark and hope seems as lost as a steamer at a clam bake.

Now that I think of it, I'm thankful for steamers; and Maine lobster; Barnacle Billy Rum Punches and beaches....any beach in fact.

I'm thankful that I live in a small town without fear for my life (Oxford drivers aside).

I'm thankful that I have food for my family and a place we call home. 

I'm thankful that 2011 is almost over.

I'm thankful that I have this podcast, which I created out of pure thought and gave to you freely, without expectation.   

I'm grateful that you'd listen to this, and might consider your own list of things that you are thankful for every day.

Because you and I fellow runner, we have alot in common.  Our lives can be filled with joy and sorrow, happiness and pain...but no matter what happens from that daily moment that we first open our squeaky front doors: we all have something to be thankful for; and maybe it would make us better people if we took the time to at least acknowledge that, each and every day.

I’m Steve Runner, reminding you run long and taper.