My mother raised us to say thank you for things.  People do not have to be kind or nice, and when they are, I should return the same.  Most of the time I follow that wisdom.  Most of the time.

To some extent I think it’s a part of my job to help people become more thankful.  I believe that we live in response to what God has done.  How well we live is, in part, our way of thanking or withholding thanks to God.  But in other ways, being thankful and expressing gratitude is a human act regardless of our variety of religious experiences.

That said, these are some things I’m thankful for.  To give you a heads up, be thinking about what you’re grateful for.

1) Laughter.  Sometimes I think of funny things that used to make me laugh just so I can do it all over.  I think about the time I was in church–we were outside in a tent next to Marcus Garvey Elementary school–when a woman’s wig fell off while she was dancing.  I was right there and it was great.  Or I think about every single conversation I have with my godmother or with Bishop Ellis or with Winfield.  I think about my big brother Mark’s sense of humor or about Karlos at dinner when he’s had wine.

2) Food eaten with family and friends.  I have dietary laws because everybody in my family has hips or guts or both.  But I’m even more careful about making sure I spend some time eating with people I really love.  There are people I love and then there are people I really love.  I employ the “ly” purposely.  Tea or a meal or a glass of water with loved ones, and I’m within eavesdropping distance of bliss.

3) Good movies and even better books.  The Godfather is the single greatest movie in the world.  I used to watch all the parts at least once a year.  These days, I walk into the bookstore, smell the pages and feel them scratching against my fingers, and I believe all over again that we were created to create.

4) Work.  I like working.  I get bored with things in general so I’m used to working on many things and in many places.  I worked in high school at the driver ed center, in college as a resident advisor, and while studying full time in grad school.  I had two jobs in grad school.  I needed a lot of things to keep me sane.  Right now I work in a wonderful church, in a great program at my seminary, and on writing projects which will one day be published. 

5) That I don’t feel about my son the way I did a week after he came home.  Frankly I had a sustained question mark over the kid’s head.  I wasn’t sure he’d like me or that I’d like him.  He’s grown on me.  Even though I’d love to get paid for this gig.

6) Friends who push me to soar.  One friend, Aja, said to me years back, “Go.  See.  Soar.”  It was in a note that I still have.  And I think it captures what all my closest relatives (since I call friends family) make me do.

7) Dessert.  Bread pudding from Grand Lux.  My mom’s pound cake or at least half of one.  Bishop Trotter’s peach cobbler.  Vivian Liu’s chocolate cake.  Mrs. Jackson’s red velvet cake, along with the good stuff at Cake Man Raven in Brooklyn.  Grandma Jackie’s sweet potato pies.  Emergency brownies from Medici on 57th.  These are all foods keeping with the dietary laws mentioned above of course.

8) My wife and our marriage.  I don’t always get along with Dawn.  She gets along with me in a literal sense, but I’m difficult.  At least that’s what people say.  I am thankful for her and for our marriage.  In some ways, I am grateful that she’s here while, at the same time, I’m thankful that we are building something, day by day that gets stronger and better.

What are you grateful for?