I’m thankful for my loved ones who
will gather around my table
and that I have the wherewithal to
provide them with a Thanksgiving feast.

I’m thankful for my family’s health
and the way the little ones smile
when they see me coming their way.

I’m grateful to all my ancestors who
made the arduous journey that me and
mine might live in this wondrous land.

I’m thankful for all the heroes
who fought battles far and wide
to insure our land is one of freedom
for now and all of time.

I’m thankful for all the pages God
has placed in my memory book
and for the knowledge that
room is left for many more.

I’m grateful for the birds that sing
my morning’s wake-up call,
the gentle sound of the rain,
the howling of the wind.

The neighbor who comes to my aid
when I’m in home-keeping distress
replacing a light bulb in a ceiling too high or
charging my car’s battery when I forgot to
turn off the overhead lights
to him I extend my gratitude.

The little dog who is my loyal companion
must be acknowledged here for she’s
my best friend in this home that would
only be a house without her
and I thank God for sending her my way.

I’m grateful that the feral cat
who won’t come in the house
 trusts me enough to eat the
food I put out for her and then
goes to sleep in my storage shed.

My thanks to the stranger who smiled
at me this morning as I walked down
the grocery store aisle.
He made me feel twenty-five again.

In these times of turmoil and strife
some may find it difficult to give thanks
living in a world they feel is on the brink.

But look into your hearts, walk in another’s
shoes for a mile or two, and think of
all that you have to be thankful for.

When you sit down for your Thanksgiving dinner
whether it be at home or in a diner be grateful
for the food God has provided.

Give thanks for the roof over your head
and the knowing that at the end of the day
awaits for you a warm bed.
Many wil do without.

Be grateful, be thankful, for each and every day
the Good Lord gives you, and know in your
heart as you read these lines that
they were written just for you and
I’m grateful for you, my friend.

© Marcia Miller-Twiford