HOW DO I COUNT THE WAYS?

I have so many things for which to be thankful that I scarcely know where to begin. I am, at 60 years of age, most thankful that I was born into a loving, Christian family that, despite tragedy at an early age, managed to stick together and keep the family traditions of love, community, and fidelity to the faith of our forefathers intact.
Yes, I know that many believe I have left the faith of my fathers, but I rather like to believe that I have deepened it. In 60 years of living through many dangers, toils, and snares, most bought on by my stupidity and hard-headedness, I can happily and thankfully say with the Psalmist and my namesake, David,

I have been young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor their seed begging bread.

• I am thankful for relatively good health, considering the way I have mistreated my body over the years.
• I am thankful for a wonderful job--the best I have ever had.
• I am thankful for a family that loves me and puts up with my often opinionated self.
• I am thankful for a country that is still relatively free, compared to the rest of the world, and for a government that is doing all within their power to keep it that way.
• I am thankful for my two cats that keep me company, even though they have a mind of their own and ignore me more often than they obey.

A DEI GLORIA