Month: November 2017

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Thankful – Intangibles

ellenparkerwrites

November is coming to a close. This short series of blogs on thankfulness will soon be in the past. But we have something important remaining.

Faith. Hope. Joy. Love. Health. Companions. Laughter.

Most of these are invisible. And what I consider hope or joy you may call by another name. And health — that’s relative. Is your health improving over a year ago? Decline with age? Holding steady with attention to diet and exercise? Even companions change over time. Friends and family move away or die. New people enter our lives.

A symbol to many of hope and faith in invisible, intangible needs.

Thank you – to my readers.  May we give thanks for all the needs and gifts your receive as 2017 speeds up and rushes to a close.  See you in December!

Blog

Thankful — literacy

ellenparkerwrites

Writing. Reading. Books. Printing.

Today I give thanks to all the people, past and present, who share ideas with language. Especially the written language.

A modern day person can find almost everything in writing – facts, figures, historical events, stories, and even lies. Within the covers of books you can learn how to cook, build a birdhouse (or a people house), or weave a piece of cloth.

Paper, or an electronic screen, with the right combination of marks can be a magic carpet and take you on a visit to the next state, the other side of the world, or far into space. You can travel back in time. Or centuries into the future.

Thank you, Mr. Gutenberg for developing movable type. And to parents and teachers for opening the doors to the world through reading.

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Thankful — From here to there

ellenparkerwrites

People — at least the ones in my clan — are on the restless side. We want to move. Go from one place to another. And while sometimes we may go a little large on this – road trips or overseas travel – many times we go small.

Getting from here to there takes many forms. But we can call it all transportation.

Lets start small. And ancient. My morning walk would be an example. No extra equipment necessary. Shoes on the feet and clothing on the body are the basics. And then, one foot in front of the other and you’re able to go from one place to another. Into a store. To visit a neighbor.

Other transportation takes many forms. Skateboard, bicycle, automobile, train, airplane, or boat all have a time and place. Use with care. Obey the rules of the road to arrive safe.

Many places in the United States a dependable automobile almost reaches the status of necessity.

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Thankful — Needful #4

ellenparkerwrites

Yes, I’ve added to the three necessities learned in elementary school. Actually, this is so important it should be first on the list.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Inhale. Exhale. Unless you’re inhaling air containing oxygen you’re in trouble. Fast. Minutes instead of the days with food.

The air around us is a natural mix of gases. Nitrogen. Oxygen. Carbon dioxide. The last one has been in the news a lot in recent years. We’re getting an excess of it – threatening to throw things out of balance.

Well, today we’re going to feature one of nature’s ways to keep the balance.Today let’s give thanks for trees. And their distant relatives shrubs and grasses. They are quiet and hard working. Remember your exhale — you’re ridding your body of excess carbon dioxide. And our friends the clever green plants – they take in that carbon dioxide and “breathe” out excess oxygen. How nice of them. So the next time you see a tree — or a smaller green plant — give thanks to nature’s air purifier.

 

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Thankful — Needful #3

ellenparkerwrites

Food — got it.

Clothing — on my body.

Shelter. The third of the necessities taught in elementary school.

Shelter, let’s think for a minute of what we are being sheltered from. Rain and cold are two things which pop into my mind. Heat. Glaring sunshine. Mud and muck and swampy water are easy to add to the list.

Most often shelter is a home. It may be modest or extravagant. Permanent or temporary. My personal experience is limited. Yes, I’ve had a couple of nights in a tent. I’ve slept overnight in a car. But the vast majority of my nights, and a good many days, have been spent in permanent buildings – a house, a workplace, a hotel.

My choice for shelter keeps me dry, protected from wind and extremes of temperature.

This looks like a suitable shelter in the American Midwest.

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Thankful — Needful #2

ellenparkerwrites

Food. Clothing. Shelter.

Now that we have eaten, lets talk about the second of the three necessities.

Clothing. Many of us take it for granted that we have clothes to wear. They protect out skin from the hot sun and assist in keeping out bodies warm when weather turns cold. Clothing also hides flaws and is able to speak much about out personality.

Does a person wear somber, dull colors? Or do they favor bright hues that get noticed by others? Do they dress trendy, following the latest issue of a fashion magazine? Or do they pick classic styles?

Some of the answers to the above will depend on financial means and where they live. If a person is struggling to provide the other two necessities they may only be able to obtain used clothing in the more basic styles. Color? Depends on what’s available.

Does your closet resemble this?

If you were able to put on clean clothing for protection and modesty today it’s time to give thanks to all who prepared the fabric and fashioned it into clothes plus the stores that sell and distribute this necessity.

 

Blog

Thankful – Needful 1

ellenparkerwrites

Back in the dark ages, when this author attended elementary school, we learned of the three necessities of life: food, clothing, and shelter.

During November this blog will emphasize items of which I am thankful. And yes, let’s start at the beginning. Food. It’s a favorite of mine — eating, cooking, and thinking about food occupies a lot of my mind a lot of the time. Too much if you believe the scale.

Apple and grapes. Two tasty fruits. A representation of items which belong in a healthy diet.

When you next sit down to eat – full meal or snack – give thanks for the farmer, the wholesaler, and the grocer for their parts in satisfying your need.