Karen's birthday

Tomorrow's Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays.  This year the schedule is schizophrenic, so we'll be putting in a toilet and hanging Christmas decorations so we can get to bed early in order to be able to leave town Friday morning at four, which means the traditional dinner won't be in the offing for us.  Despite and because of that, I want to offer thanks for things in my life that have enriched it.

I'm thankful for my Mother.  She taught me things and gave me the map for my life.  Although she died far too young, she was my best friend.  She protected me, encouraged me, cheered me and disciplined me the way a parent should.  I miss her terribly.

I thank God I met Karen.  Ours wasn't a conventional meeting, but it was the greatest thing in my life when I heard her voice for the first time.  She is the love of my life, the darling of my heart.  Life wouldn't be life without her in it.  More on her anon.

Our country's screwed up, but we live in the greatest society man has ever arranged.  Every American should give thanks for his birthright but remain aware that with that birhright goes civic obligations.

Likewise, I give thanks for the sacrifices countless men and women have made to defend this country.  Collectively, we owe the greatest debt to these people who founded and defended this country throughout our history.

Living in Spain was the experience of a lifetime.  Looking back, I should have stayed there, even though that would have meant I'd never meet Karen.  There is very little about Spain I don't like.  If it weren't for its economic turmoil, I'd move there today.

I'm grateful to Gutenberg.  His invention has provided me with endless hours of learning and enjoyment.

Sports have always played an integral part in my life.  I can no longer play them physically, but they provide me with plenty of enjoyment as a spectator.

There are many people with woeful maladies.  I'm thankful that I'm relatively healthy so that I can experience God's great gifts each and every day.  To that end, I'm thankful for the comparatively slight aches and pains that remind me how lucky I am to have the health I do.

But more than anything, I'm glad that some years ago, two people from Kentucky met, fell in love and bore a daughter whom they raised to be the beautiful woman she is today celebrating her birthday.  Were it not for those two people, the love of my life would not exist. 

Happy birthday sweetheart.

(c) 2012 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles