Did you ever have to write one of those “giving thanks” essays when you were a kid? You know the kind I mean, one titled: “What I am thankful for” — or, if your teacher was a real stickler: “What it is for which I am thankful.”
In any case, things haven’t changed much because they’re still an elementary school staple. I know, because over the last couple of decades, my three boys have composed many of them. In fact, I’m so familiar with the formula, I’ll share it here.
First, suck up: “I’m thankful for my teacher/school.” Yeah, right. That’s what I hear every morning when I drag you out of bed. Whoops, this will be going home too, so you’d better add. “I’m thankful for my parents.”
If the teacher demands specifics, you can include something like, “I’m thankful for the hot chocolate you make.” Great. I’ve driven you to sports practices, club meetings, class trips, and birthday parties all over the county. I’ve slaved over healthful, homemade meals. I’ve sat with you through the night when you’ve been sick and let you keep pets (including snakes) I knew I’d end up caring for. I’ve taken you out for mother/son pizza nights, put away money for your college, and given up weekends helping you prepare for science fair. And the one thing you remember is two scoops of cocoa in hot milk. If I’d known this 23 years ago, it would have saved me a lot of time and trouble.
Well, I’m feeling nostalgic watching the leaves fall, so let’s work up a list of all the things we have to be thankful for living here in Kingston. First, let’s agree to be thankful for that big body of water that separates us from Seattle. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to have stuff like — you know — jobs and night life over there when you want it, but it’s even nicer having a big ol’ moat to keep Lynnwood from sprawling all the way to Eglon.
How about being thankful for coffee? Even if you don’t drink the stuff, you can be proud that Kingston is the king of the coffee stop. Where else can you order six lattes from six different espresso vendors on a single-mile main street? It makes my eyeballs jiggle just thinking about it. (They also sell hot chocolate, but don’t tell my boys because then I’d be completely superfluous).
We can be thankful that, at least for now, there are still more trees than houses in our little burg. Also, the rest of us owe a big debt of gratitude to all of those community volunteers who make Kingston a more beautiful, more fun place to live.
Finally, I personally am thankful for the kindness and generosity of so many of the inhabitants of our little town. In how many cities and suburbs, do you suppose, could you knock on the door of a perfect stranger and be given permission to pick their plums? If your car breaks down in Kingston, it won’t be long before someone stops to help. If your dog runs away on a firework-filled night, chances are a neighbor will take him in and share popcorn and a movie until the noise ends.
It’s just that kind of town, and now you know what it is for which I am thankful.
In addition to making great hot chocolate, Wendy writes on home, garden, and lifestyle topics for a variety of publications. Check out her gardening misadventures at Muck About blog: http://muckabout.typepad.com.
