Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Gratitude

Being a left-brainer the great love of my life likes to make lists. Long weighty pragmatic serious work-related lists of the kind that lead to deep frown lines on the forehead. Now and then one of her lists is accompanied by hoots of laughter. Those kinds of lists are usually very long also and begin with the words "Helen's To Do List". Then there are the lists she likes the least. The feelings lists. The latter, though written by her, are generally elicited by me. (No surprise there) I always marvel though at the ease with which she produces these and how lengthy they are!

My lists are almost always feelings lists and uppermost amongst those is my "gratitude list". Some entries on that list change day to day but some, such as friendship, are always there. It is impossible for me to imagine living here alone in New Zealand without the support of friends. Because of them there are the free range hens eggs, the freshly picked rhubarb and the delicious roast lamb with homemade mint sauce on a Sunday night. The long walks on the wild Otago beaches discussing Norman Mailer and the various joys and perils of flying. There are the scrabble games and the walks on the shores of the breathtaking Central Otago lakes. The full-bodied wine and the vibrant conversation shared at dusk amidst world-renowned South Island scenery, barely a stone's throw from Lord of the Rings country. My friends are good to me. They are people of substance and well deserving of their place on my gratitude list!

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