Number Your Blessings

As you know from a few posts ago, I just celebrated a whirlwind three weeks of birthday celebrations. One of the many wonderful and thoughtful gifts bestowed upon me from dear friends was a deliciously sybaritic facial and massage at a spa.

While chatting with the masseuse about my birthday (before she, literally, dug in with a firm Swedish massage), she commented astutely, "You are probably making a bucket list and saying to yourself, 'I need to this,' or 'I have to go there' ... but I bet you could make lists and lists of things you've accomplished."

I loved her perspective. Sort of the "glass half-empty" or the "glass half-full." Not only did I start thinking of the things I've accomplished thus far in my life but I also thought she had an interesting suggestion: make a list.

This is just a very, very, very short list of accomplishments for which I am proud. I encourage you to number yours as well.

1.    Nurturing a loving and bountiful marriage.

2.    Having two amazing children who are happy, self-confident and making their way in the world.

3.    Creating a sense of home for my husband and family.

4.    Putting up with my family’s shtick.

5.    After four eye operations, the ability to see the world a little differently.

6.    Learning to type (really fast).

7.    Finally, not being a wise guy about using sun lotion.

8.    Folding a fitted sheet with origami accuracy. (Thank you, Mom, for  teaching me  how to do this.)

9.    Speaking French and knowing swear words so that I almost sound like a local.

10.  The ability to make dinner out of practically anything in the refrigerator.

11.  Never losing my eyeglasses. (I still have the tortoise-shell cat-shaped  glasses that I wore in 2nd grade.)

12.  Using a fountain pen and angling my elbow in such a way that my hand  doesn’t  smear the words when I write thank-you notes.

13.  Never giving up on at least thinking about running the NYC Marathon.

14.  Setting the table with near-perfection. (Thank you, Mr. Carson, from  “Downton  Abbey,” for all of the tips.)

15.  Singing in-tune (when no one is around.)

16.  Checking Facebook only once or twice (every hour).

17.  Paring down and getting rid of notes from my Flemish painting class in college.

18. Knowing a good fashion find. (Thank you, Betty Moodie, my editor at Glamour, for  being a mentor.)
19. Staying in contact with two best friends from third grade.

20.  Knowing all of the words to "American Pie."

And the list goes on ...