Thanks for the Big Little Things

     This didn’t make the news, but it happened this weekend. A jumbo jet loaded to capacity was coming in for landing at a large metropolitan airport. It landed safely and every passenger disembarked alive and well. The truth is, it happened several thousand times over the past few days.

     In a related story, hundreds of thousands of school children made it safely to and from school. Many of the children came home from school knowing things they didn’t when the left home.

     Also this week, a child got their first puppy.

     Today, someone ate their first strawberry.

     Someone listened for the first time to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. Someone else heard for the first time U2’s “Where the Streets Have No Name” and someone else stood and listened to wind blowing through pine trees.

     Babies took their first steps today and said first words. Grandparents held their grandbabies for the first time. Many were at a loss for words.

     Another item that sometimes makes the news but deserved mentioning. All around the world, donations are pouring into local charities. With an American Holiday celebrating thanks approaching, food pantries are receiving donated food from local businesses as well as ordinary people.

     This week, some people are planning on spending time with loved ones rather than work or school.

     I know that the news is full of bad stuff. And to keep some balance, we are fed a few heartwarming stories to help us sleep. But so many things happen every day that don’t make the news because they aren’t news. Of course things go right every day. I think things go right more often than not. It’s when things go poorly that they get the attention. Right or wrong, the bad things get the attention. Perhaps it’s like the problem child getting more notice than the well behaved one because the good kid is doing fine and doesn’t need correction. If things are going well, why pay it any attention, right?

     Except that is what this upcoming holiday is about.

     And really, I think I should have an attitude of gratitude on more days than the last Thursday of November. But that’s another topic to beat to death on another day. No proselytizing this week. I’m just thankful for too much to find fault in things. Thanks for reading everyone. Have a great week.