Thanks in bits and pieces

Thanksgiving is here. Every year I write about all the things for which I'm grateful. These are the big everyday things. Sometimes, we all forget about the bits and pieces that fill up our day with joy.

Some say it's good to simply wake up in the morning. Even better is waking up to one of your favorite songs. How often does that happen? When it does, it really starts your day off right.

How about trash day? I find it very rewarding to walk down the driveway and find the trash can sitting upright on the sidewalk. It's usually upside down in the middle of the street. Be thankful for upright days.

You actually find something in your closet to wear that doesn't need ironing and that even fits. This is a dream for me.

Not many people are fond of mornings. Personally, I do better waking up than staying awake after 10 p.m. The one living thing in my house that loves mornings is my dog.

A simple phone call can fill your day with love and hope. My best friend is out of town for a few months. When Susy and Dick left, I didn't know how I'd survive not talking to them almost every day. Turns out, that hasn't happened. Thank heavens for cell phones. We had a 30-minute chat the other day, and it was just what I needed to keep me going.

We should all be grateful for the bits and pieces that make up our lives. If you just find one thing every day that pleases you, use that to make the rest of the time a little easier to get through. If you have family, friends, decent health and a home to live in, that's all you need. That and the fact that we live in a country where freedom is the reason we can get by with doing and saying stuff no other country would allow.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pat Fickle is a Martinez resident.