Today I turn 39 and thought I would list 39 things I am grateful to have or have done or have had in my life to this point. It is a take from the daily gratitudes of November except this has a longer range. I tried to make those points of gratitude apply to the present each day, this time around I am living totally in the past.
So let's get it started:
1. My parents who have been positive role models and who have instilled an importance of open mindedness and acceptance, compassion and caring.
2. My siblings who have been fun to hang out with and supportive in times of need.
3. The woods behind my house that provided endless hours of fun growing up playing war, building forts, tiltalling, first kiss and countless other memories.
4. High school was fun. Middle school sucked, but high school was a great three years I would do all over again if I could.
5. So many friendships over the years that I still cherish. It can be difficult having a diverse set of friends because you have to be able to see past things you disagree about and be able to find a way to accept each other's shortcomings but somehow I have been able to gain and maintain a number of friendships to varying degrees for a long time now and I appreciate the good fortune that they were able to accept me.
6. Torrey's Field up the street was a place we played football, baseball, soccer and God knows what else year round without knowing who it truly belonged to. It was a host to countless games and a parade of people we would bring through.
7. Later in my childhood someone built a house in Torrey's field and we started playing football after school over at Chillicothe park. There were evenings we would have so many people that we had four full games going at once. It was so fun that 20 years later at my high school reunion, one friend brought it up and how much he loved playing. He showed me a scar he swore was from a time I tackled him. He was and is 2 times bigger than me. Those were my glory days.
8. I didn't have many girlfriends, I was very awkward --surprise!- but I am grateful for the relationships I had. There were some really cool girls there, all leading me to my one and only wife.
9. I should probably use this one for Vicki. I am extremely grateful for the woman who was a friend and now a partner. She returned in my life at a time that I needed her (and I'd like to think she needed me) and she has taught me much about many things as well as helping me learn or see a number of things for myself. I appreciate her everyday.
10. The most fun I have had in life would be my years at OSU. I had numerous goals for myself professionally and socially for those years and pretty much accomplished them all. I set myself up for the future while enjoying what it all had to offer.
11. Phantom Band is one of those college experiences I will cherish forever. Particularly the year we led the whole damn thing. THAT seriously was my one shining moment. The power we had over so many people was intoxicating.
12. 85 was another part of my college experience that I hold dear. My roommates at 85 are some of the coolest, best kind of people I have ever met.
13. Ohio State sports has provided happiness where Cleveland sports have provided misery. THANK GOD for the Buckeyes.
14. Amidst this happiness is the 2002 National Championship. The only title any of my teams have earned. I don't count Alabama because they are a secondary team. Yes, I was pumped to watch the Tide win their titles, but they aren't my home state, alma mater or home city.
15. The 1997 Rose Bowl was my senior year and my Dad and I took a trip to Pasadena that we still reminisce about to this day. It was a very cool time with my Dad and the game was epic. Joe Germaine to David Boston on a little square out in the front of the end zone and TBDBITL playing "Carmen, Ohio" right in front of us as I looked to the misty scoreboard reading the final score are visions firmly planted in my memory.
16. Cedar Point is a place I loved growing up and still do. The fact that my oldest loves roller coasters as she does warms my heart.
17. Road trips in college were awesome. The Kentucky Derby, Penn State, Ann Arbor, NYC, Indy for the NCAA tourney, IUP, OU and many others.
18. Fantasy football has been a nightmare this season but it has provided a nice safety net to keep my interest in the NFL going after the Browns inevitable annual flame out.
19. Former students have returned over the years to say "hi." I am grateful I have made enough of a positive impression to earn visits. It is cool to hear how they are doing years later.
20. I am appreciative of any good moments with my students. Simple moments of conversations to accomplishments to visits, to goodbyes to inside jokes to sharing memories to seeing their growth from the time we first meet to the time they leave.
21. My health has been pretty good. I appreciate how low maintenance things have been for me so far. I hope that continues.
22. I love softball. I have been playing for decades now and I know I won't be able to forever. I am very grateful for all the seasons and memories and teams and people that have been a part of my experiences playing softball.
23. I am grateful for learning. There is an abundance of learning to be done and I enjoy doing so.
24. I am thankful for music. all kinds for all moods and all occasions.
25. Star Wars was a huge part of my childhood and I enjoy sharing it with my kids now.
26. I am grateful for social media. Thanks to Facebook and my blog, I have been able to engage with many friends about many different things. I have rekindled old friendships that otherwise, I would not have been able to do. I have been able to stay in touch with extended family. It makes things easy and quick and fun.
27. I appreciate my in laws welcoming me to their family and treating me as family as well as my oldest daughter. Without flinching or questioning, they fluidly and seamlessly included us very comfortably despite the challenges that come with that.
28. I love Columbus. It is my new home. My heart will always have a space saved for Cleveland, but Columbus is my home.
29. Thankful for this house and this neighborhood. It is what I always envisioned for me when I "grew up." So I guess I'm grown up. Hmm
30. Obviously, I am grateful for my paycheck. I live a good life. I try not to take it for granted.
31. Much like above, I am thankful for my health insurance. I have known people who don't have any and it is HARD. I have been fortunate to transition from one to another pretty easily and with three kids, one with a health condition, it has been a luxury.
32. St. Thomas Aquinas was a church I have written about before. It played a large role in shaping who I am today.I felt like they got it right. Unfortunately, they didn't pull in enough money for the Catholic church to continue to support it, so it closed. Figures. Another brick in the wall. But I appreciate the time I had there and the people I met and I hope they knew how influential they were.
33. I am thankful for the care of Children's Hospital in Columbus. I have had to spend extended periods of time there on numerous occasions and it has been very difficult but they have done well. I appreciate the help in caring for my daughter and trying to figure out what to do.
34. Thankful for luck. I have been very lucky when it comes to important things. My bad luck has fortunately been in regards to minor issues that I have been able to recover from relatively easily.
35. I have fond memories of trips to Alabama. We would go to this pond and row around playing pirates or whatever. We would dock on a shore and run into the surrounding woods to play whatever mission we were on at that time. They were meant to fishing so i am sure we looked dumb as hell, but my Dad never seemed to care and encouraged it, so we did. That was great.
36. A timely gratitude would be rivalries. I love the intensity of OSU and the TTUN. I love what once was with the Browns and Steelers and the hope that someday it returns.
37. I am thankful for my current boss.
38. I am thankful for rock shows and friends who introduce to me to good rock bands.
39. My three kids are treasures. I can't end this list without the three little ones I adore.
It goes without saying, I am a wealthy man. This list could be doubled and more. I am grateful for that as well.
