The Luckiest Man (or woman)

It's a rather cliched tradition, but every year at Thanksgiving I try to write down or at least think about a few things that I am (of course) thankful for. This year seems particularly rich in experience to me, so here it goes (forgive the reference to Lou Gehrig in the title of this post, I am after all, a neurologist :).

1) The love of a close-knit family; three wonderful, intelligent siblings, parents who encourage me and are honest with me no matter what, and a whole host of lovely (and often entertaining) extended family members. There have been a few that have showed me how not to live my life, I am grateful for them as well.

2) An education that has allowed me to explore, both in my mind and sometimes literally, the far depths of the universe. I have held in my hands rocks that are 4 billion years old and I have cut through a persons skull and felt the pulsations of a living human brain. This education has led me to a profession that challenges me on a daily basis and one in which I get to witness both the worst and best expressions of humanity (sometimes all in the same day).

3) Travel, the chance to live in the country of my dear grandfather's birth, to walk amongst the remainders of history, to have my breath taken away by scenes so beautiful that only a poet(read, not me) could accurately describe.

4) True friendship, childhood camaraderie that has stood the test of time and other, more recently discovered kindred spirits. I have also had the honor of having a dog for the past decade that has been a better friend than I could ever have imagined. Also, a horse that taught me the meaning of grace and the joy of flying so fast across the ground that I thought we might momentarily break free of gravity.

5) Love, relationships that, while imperfect, have forced me to grow in ways that I never expected and to understand the power of quiet, enduring respect between two equals.

6) Darkness, inner rumblings and external events that have forged me in ways I would not have chosen at the time, but that I recognize the utility of now.

7) How to cook a meal, to draw, to tell a good story, to create something worthwhile for the enjoyment of others.

8) The power of compassion, the unrelenting importance of it, and the peace that comes with allowing the pursuit of it to guide my life.

9) Legs that will carry me, eyes that can see, and a mind that functions (most of the time).

I am indeed a lucky girl and, to quote Lou, that's something.