What Can I Say? I'm Thankful!

I'm not sure if everyone else shares this sentiment, but, seriously, this year has flown by so swiftly. I mean just nine days left? Jeez! Any ways, like so many other people do at the end  (or, in my case, towards the end) of the year, I'm taking stock and discovering I have a lot to be thankful to God for.

Sometimes, when people think about being thankful, they expect that you have to be thankful only for something as ginormous as waking from a coma or receiving that long awaited miracle. Those are certainly things to be thankful for, but even things we take for granted or feel are 'basic' like waking up, good health and active senses are equally ginormous and things worthy to be thankful for. Just ask (or think about) those who don't have the luxury of any or all of these so called basic things.

Urging people to be thankful is definitely not news. There are so many sayings and clichés that enjoin you to give thanks, but it is easier said than done.

Frankly, there are times when I don't feel thankful, when my problems and things I long for but haven't received seem to overshadow the things I have; and being thankful is the farthest thing on my mind. There is also the matter of being thankful not guaranteeing that problems will suddenly disappear, that a flashing rainbow will instantly emerge in my bleak horizon (sue me, I am one of those people who expects immediate results and likes flashing rainbows, apparently!).

Even though thankfulness does not mass produce flashing rainbows, what it does is that it makes you aware of what you do have. It also shows appreciation to your maker. Again, thankfulness makes for a less stressful life, because it makes you live in the present and reminds you that you have survived so far without all those things you are pining for.

Like every other person on the planet, there is so much I wish I could accomplish that I didn't this year, but I would be a liar if I said there weren't so many other things I am thankful for.

Some of the things I'm thankful for are in this evidently non-exhaustive, off-the-top-of-my-head list.

*The ability to nurture my relationship with God in spite of the ups and downs of this year.

*The privilege to have  a great (can't stress this adjective enough) family and lovely friends.

*The ability to 'unfriend' and/or distance myself from negative people.

*The capacity to be truly happy without feeling guilty about it.

*The time and energy to binge on SpongeBob SquarePants and other shows and movies while balancing other activities in my life.

*The good nature to find humour in every situation and risk quizzical glances that make me laugh even more.

*The (still growing) acceptance of my awkwardness and 'interesting' personality.

*The retention of my ability to not care so much about what people think, especially when such opinions are not constructive.

*The wherewithal to eat, drink (even if it's just water and juice... not forgetting the fizzy drinks too), live under a non-leaking roof, stay in touch with friends, family, and those who defy categorisation.

*The patience to not hurl my bag at the bus driver when he drives too slow on those days when I'm running late, or the shop keeper when my lottery tickets are duds, or the technician at my school who vanished when I asked him to fix a technical problem with my university card, or those who are more concerned about what I can get them than my welfare, or... (yeah, I think that's enough exposure for now).

*The compassion to weep with those who are hurting and laugh (more raucously than) (with) those who are happy.

*The strength to shout at the screen and run commentary when I'm watching things on the TV or my laptop (this habit unfortunately also follows me to the cinema, but I'm still thankful).

*The wisdom to know that I have all that I need.

*The ability to kick my Facebook and BBM addiction. Yay!

*The ability to know I cannot please everybody all of the time and to be okay with this realisation.

*The privilege to sing to myself and risk glances (and the occasional compliments, I got one again today) from passersby.

*The fortitude to realise that problems that have knocked me off my feet and driven me to despair have thought me valuable lessons about life, especially how to handle difficulties.

*The opportunity to have this blog and write about random things that affects people's lives for good (a girl can dream *wink* *gap-toothed smile* [for some reason it is gap-toothed, though I am not gap-toothed!]).

I think I'd just stop here before I veer into doe-eyed looks. Just listing these abilities and privileges and capacities (and I need to stress that this is by no means exhaustive, so all of you thinking I have only 18 things to be thankful for... ) has shown just how much I have and how much I have to be thankful for this year.  So, maybe like me, you ought to write a list of things you're thankful for, no matter how minute or 'basic' they might seem. It might surprise you how many things you have to be thankful for.

Have thanks-filled remaining days of 2013 and 2014, in advance!

My Pet Peeve - The Backbite and Frontsmile

I rarely get surprised by human behaviour. In fact, I pride myself on being a pseudo psychologist, which then somehow (operational word) qualifies me to accurately (well, at least half the time) predict and explain behaviour. I beg you, though, don't ask me to guess what you're thinking next time you see me or get in touch with me, you just might be the subject of my next rant.

One thing always gets me though, every time! That is the ability of people to say bad things behind a person's back and then be extra nice to their face. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr (I'd go on, but I'm seeing doublessss).

What prompted me to rant about this, apart from years of being surprised and annoyed by this... this... 'thing', was a programme I attended last weekend (well, there goes the anonymity of this story). Moving on... there was a lady at the programme who was quite normal in my estimation. On one of the days, she was running late and a discussion ensued about her that I was 'privileged' to observe. She was described in such terms as kooky,  fibber, unfortunate,  and so on; but when she showed up minutes later, the very same individuals that were on the forefront of the campaign against her were the first to talk about being worried about her, and love, kisses and hugs, and all that jazz (I exaggerate, of course, but you get the gist).

There are two things that immediately go through my mind when something like this happens:

1. I wonder what they say behind my back

2. Why? What? Wh...? 

I think what annoys me most is the acting all friendly afterwards. I am not excusing backbiting but I would expect that if you can't either shut up or say the negative things to the person's face then do not act all lovey-dovey with them. 

Also, about saying negative things to someone's face (or to their inbox and other such personal correspondence facilities on social media), it's not really as bad as it's made to be. If you were someone like me, that person would be your favourite person. Well, right after your parents, siblings, that uncle and aunt that call ever so often to make sure you're still alive, the funny guy on YouTube that just cracks you up, the toothless old woman that smiles at you at the bus-stop, the ... (see what it's like to be me?).

As long as you don't say it in such a nasty way, I don't see why that shouldn't be an option. Let me say this again (albeit differently) - people who can say negative (but true) stuff about me to my face are the people I respect the most... well, right after my parents, my siblings, that uncle and aunt that call ever so often to make sure I'm still alive, the funny guy on Youtube that just cracks me up, the toothless old woman that smiles at me at the bus stop.... 

That's it for now. Rant over. Time to wait for the next surprising episode of Backbite, Frontsmile. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!