Everyone’s lamenting the inconveniences, horror and/or fake-newsness of the pandemic, but not too many folks outside of us oddballs in the recovery community seem to consider the things we have to be grateful for. So I thought I’d make a list of some of mine.

1. Even though I’m in a high-risk category due to my age and health issues, I’m still alive.
2. I’m not unemployed; I’m retired with a little bit of income.
3. I’m on Social Security, so unless Mr. Trump and his gang manage to wipe out all the “entitlements” I’m not going to starve or lose my home.*
4. Since I’m pretty-much a stay-at-home anyway (not to say an introvert), I’m not terribly inconvenienced or troubled by home quarantining and social distancing. I’d like to be able to visit my kids, grandkids, and a couple of good friends occasionally, and I miss face-to-face meetings – although I think online meetings have much to offer and I’m anxious to see how they change the face of the recovery community in the long run.
5. I don’t have to walk the cats.
6. I’m quarantined with my best friend, squabble though we might from time to time.
7. My Kindle and smartphone.
8. The Internet, flawed and troll-ridden though it is.
9. My supports in my recovery fellowships.
10. Air conditioning. Living in Florida is both a blessing (Winter) and curse (the other 9 months of the year). I managed as a kid without A/C, but I’m totally spoiled now.
11. I live within a mile of 98% of the stores I need to visit occasionally, including a Publix, Aldi’s, B.J.’s, Target, CVS, and several decent takeout joints.
12. Mail-in ballots.
13. A reliable car.
14. The little lake we live on, and bird-watching out the bedroom window.
15. Living in a community of older folks without boom boxes and drive-by shootings.
16. Now I’m starting to sound like an old fogy, so I’ll stop. But you get the idea.

Did you make out a gratitude list of your own lately? Might it be time?
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*Damn right I’m entitled. I paid into that fund for over fifty years. It’s not my fault that politicians used the money on things for which it wasn’t intended.