Those Little Things

I'm feeling a bit restless.  I don't know if I've gotten too comfortable with my job.  Perhaps I am in the throes of wedding planning and need a break.  And maybe I've poured one too many cups of coffee this morning.  Either way, in lieu of my usual Friday snapshots, I thought that maybe I need to post five things I'm thankful for.

And I have lots to be thankful/grateful for.  Family, friends, food, a job, church, and Jesus...typical Sunday School answers that embody a multitude of truly wonderful things.  But I know that I have a lot more than that to be grateful for. So if you give me a few minutes, I'm sure I'll have at least five posted below.  I'm trying to think of "deeper" things that I take for granted, but I'd also like to think of at least one tangible product that makes my life a little easier.

1. A great educational experience

Yes, I am thankful that I have a job.  But as I look back, I'm amazed at what it took to get me here.  Piles of essays and homework, for sure.  Yet I also accumulated fantastic resources, not in just tangible papers and websites, but in my professors.  I don't know how many college grads can say that their professors truly cared about them, but at least in the English department, I feel like all of them did. I know there are issues with a conservative Christian college and their "rules," but in the long run, those are not what I remember.  I remember good literature circles, fantastic friends, and excellent teachers.

2.  The concept of marriage

I did say that "friends and family" were Sunday School answers that I would not give as one of my five.  I have a fantastic fiance.  Anyone who knows me knows that I believe that.  But I'm lucky that he still believes in the concept of marriage.  In BF, my choices as a young woman is single, baby mama, living with someone, or old and married.  There was no "engaged."  Props to the men who still "put a ring on it" without living with her first.  And props to the men who believe that marriage can be one woman for the rest of your lives.

3.  A closet full of clothes

I am not rich.  In fact, my roommate and I call it "Ameripoor."  Sometimes, I feel like I need to be rich in order to buy professional clothing.  However, as I look in my closet, I know that's not true.  I feel very fortunate to go into the school and have both teachers and students think I look nice and professional.  And even though my family is not rich in monetary means, I know my mom prepared me well to live in a world where the goal is to exude "sexiness" rather than "classiness."  And do not mistake me; I am a firm believer in comfortable sweatpants (which is neither "sexy" or "classy," I'm sure).  However, I know that I am lucky enough to have a choice in what I wear.

4.  Lots of books

I'm glad that people have realized that I like to read.  I feel as if I'm an easy person to buy a gift for; I like books, tea, teacups, purses, shoes, and scarves.  And you can find all of those at thrift stores and flea markets.  However, I'm especially thankful for new books with beautiful covers.  By "new," I mean brand new or new to me.  That can also mean they are actually old.  I am thankful to have a bookshelf with anthologies full of classic literature, books that I purchased on my own because I wanted to write in them, and books that people have bought me because they know how much I love them.  I am thankful for my Kindle, yes, but I will always love a true book.

5.  A copier

Ok, so maybe this is because I'm in the midst of school.  But I am so thankful for a copier.  It truly is a tangible object that makes me life a little easier.  I cannot imagine writing everything I need over and over again for each student.  I am happy to copy resources onto paper once, then I will make hundreds of copies in a couple seconds.  Sometimes, faster isn't always better or easier; but sometimes, faster is appreciated.