What to be thankful for

How about everything?

When I was 19, I read a book by Merlin Carothers, From Prison to Praise. To this day, his words still come back. In all things give praise. I'm going to get his book, it belongs in my library.

Took Da Bugsters for our early morning walk. I look at the sky. I give thanks. The road I walk on. I give thanks. The air I breathe. I give thanks.

That I can breathe. That I'm alive. That I live in the greatest country on the earth. That this universe is here, and I get to be a part of it.

I find it odd when I hear someone say, "Find something that you can be thankful for". Everything we see, what we hear, taste, it's all worthy of our gratitude.

Visiting my son in prison, it may have sounded odd, but I told him: "Be thankful". And I meant it. He tells me he has a job working in the prison cafeteria now. He says that he is able to make others around him laugh. With all the pain, suffering and indignities that he sees, he is still able to tell me funny stories. Stories where he laughs so hard that he's rolling on the floor laughing.

He's always had the gift of comedy. One time we were on a train coming back from the Santa Anita race track. Our car was filled with adults. Tim, my son around 10, starting doing imitations of Jim Carrey, from the movie, Pet Detective. He had people busting up laughing.

We really have so much to be thankful for. And it should not be taken for granted. I wish that every day I could make it a point to give thanks for being a participant in this grand creation. God, or no God, we're all here together, and this world is a better place if you smile at me, and I do the same.