Some of you may have seen my post about WorkFlowy. Some of you may have seen this past week’s beautiful Sunday Inspiration video on Gratitude, found and added by my husband. I am absolutely certain that at no point did you see a connection between them.

I didn’t either, not until it occurred to me that it’s so easy to just mutter a few words of Thanksgiving when the moment is appropriate, and think, “Well, I’m finished.” But, of course, as the video said, there a so many things to be thankful for, things that are right here, all around us. Things we don’t always notice.

That’s the challenge, isn’t it? To pay attention? And that’s when I decided that WorkFlowy has taught me a lesson in how to be grateful.

WorkFlowy breaks lists into multiple parts. Through a process of drilling down, users learn to break up tasks into smaller parts, then accomplish those, one at a time.

Breaking things into smaller parts? Not just “I’m grateful for this beautiful world, family and friends. Amen and pass the turkey.” But I’m grateful for the infinitesimal levels beneath each.

Thank you WorkFlowy for helping me to note that everything is made of smaller parts that can be noted, too.

So in that spirit. Let me break down my Thanksgiving prayer just a little. I can’t begin to list all the things I’m thankful for. But here are a few.

I’m thankful for this beautiful world:

• For the ping of raindrops, of mist and wind and the sizzle of sunshine against my skin
• For so many people who care about others and are trying, without considering the odds of success, to help
• For artists and rainbows, for birdsong and soaring, for penny whistles and limericks
• For lily-of-the-valley, roses and gardenias and the salt-sweet air of the Florida coast

I’m thankful for family:

• For the powdery fragrance and satin skin of a newborn
• For the welcoming grin of a preschooler, the shy smile of an eight-year-old, the giggle of a five-year-old when she thinks no one is listening
• For Paw Patrol and Hello Kitty and American Girl Dolls with stories to tell
• For grown children who are as interesting and individual as I hoped they would be and for the partners they have chosen
• For the partner I chose

I’m thankful for friends:

• For those who listen and those who have much to say
• For those who reach out quietly and those who dive in
• For those who read my books and those who make no excuses.
• For those who have been with me for decades and those who just moved into view.

And my readers? I am thankful for each and every one of you. You are never a number, a statistic, not a boost to a bestseller list, not a constant drumbeat toward bigger and better books. I am grateful when you share your stories here or in other ways, when you find time to read my books–even when you aren’t certain you want to–when you find gentle ways to challenge me.

Each of us has so much to be thankful for, even if we have to “drill down” sometimes to remember. I’m thankful for this blog, which reminds me to do just that each week. And I’m especially thankful today for everyone who takes the time to read it.

Whether this is your holiday or just a reminder of one passed or approaching, Happy Thanksgiving.

Now, pass the turkey!

Congratulations to Martha, Kate and Marsha, all who will get copies of the books featured in my last The Writing Process 2015 post.