So Grateful to Give Thanks

As most of you that read my blog have noticed, I don't post very much.  Part of it is because I'm just lazy, lots of it is writers block but mostly I just don't like to share my thoughts when they aren't very pleasant.  As my grandmother always said, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all".  I guess if I could make a joke out of depression I would have a following like Ali Brosch does on her blog hyperboleandahalf.com.  But since I don't have her uncanny way of joking and writing cartoons, I choose to follow my grandmothers advice.  Luckily, I feel like I have something nice to say today, and so I thought I would share a few things.

Up until last weekend, I was going through some major unhappiness (for me).  Unfortunately, this seems to be a theme for me since moving to Zurich.  It isn't constant, but the roller coaster effect of one month I am happy and the next month I'm not, starts to wear on a person.  When the challenge of Thanksgiving in a foreign country started to rear it's head, I found I had very little energy to battle it.  Fortunately, I have a list of people and events in my life that are constantly there to pull me through these times.  So in no particular order, I am grateful that I can give thanks for the following:

Susan Stucki.  Susan is a new Swiss friend that I met here who has spent a good deal of time living as an expat in San Francisco.  When she heard that we weren't going to celebrate Thanksgiving, she said let's just do it!  She helped me plan the menu, she brought food with her and she helped me cook.  Susan was truly sent as a gift to me from the Creator to show me that as long as I keep my heart open, I will find family here.

Duke.  There isn't anything I could say that would do justice to the man who loves me for who I am and NEVER tries to change me. His support during this time has been truly saint-like.

My daughter has friends.  You have no idea how much relief this brings me.  I have never had my heart break as much as it has watching my little girl try and adapt here to a new language,school and culture.  She now has a friend that she says is just as good as her friends back in Montana.  Thank God!

My son's steadfastness in continuing to adapt here and his utter devotion to me.  My prayer is that I continue to learn how to accept his unconditional love for me.

My parents.  Their devotion to me, my husband, their grandchildren, their music and their students is humbling. 

Skype.  The avenue that allows me to see my parents everyday.  What a gift technology is.

My circle of friends here in Zurich.  They have no idea what their friendship and support has meant to me during the last nine months.  I'm not sure I could ever express that properly to them.

Linda, Danny and Ken and their love for me, the Path of the Pipe and their guidance.

The lessons I have learned about education here vs. the US.  This has helped me to understand the challenges that my children face at school and has enabled me to pave their way a bit more.

I am most grateful and thankful for my relationship with The Creator/God/Spirit, whatever you want to call it.  If it weren't for the lessons that I have been taught through this Path, I would never have survived here.  When I have felt the absolute worst, the inner knowing that I am loved and that everything has a place, time and reason has sustained me, strengthened me and best of all has helped me grow as a person.

I think the best lesson I have learned through all of this is that it doesn't matter where you move physically, you still carry all your baggage with you.  It just gets magnified in all of the upheaval.  When you strip away all of the things that you have built up to cover your baggage and you sort it out, you can then throw away the unnecessary pieces and take a good look at what you truly want.  It makes room for new experiences and gives you a feeling that you can do almost anything you set your mind to.

One last note, we always hear/say that it's the little things in life that are important or make a difference.  I couldn't have had a better event happen to prove this to me than when Ross tasted the pumpkin pie last night.  I had to make a homemade crust for the first time in  my life and on top of it, I had to try and do it in another country where the ingredients are always a bit different.  Ross hates pie crust but when he bit into this pie, he turned to me with a huge surprised smile on his face and said," Momma, it's the BEST pie I've ever tasted!".  Now that, my friends, is what brought tears to my eyes this Thanksgiving.

My love and blessings to all of you that read this and support me.  I am truly grateful that I can give thanks for each and every one of you.