With Gratitude

When I go to work, I have to park in the parking garage, usually not finding a space until I get to the far corner of the fourth floor. Though I try to be grateful that I have a job and good legs to carry me the long walk to my office, I really do not like that parking garage or the far corner of the fourth floor.

As I came in to the hospital one day recently, I drove as usual up the slight ramp into the side entrance of the garage first floor. Starting from the outer lane, I circled through each row of parked cars, my eyes darting from side to side as I looked at every spot, hoping to be lucky enough to find one on that floor. I started to silently beg...please please let me find a parking space here. I so didn't want to carry my stuff from the far corner of the fourth floor. As I rounded onto the last (and closest to the hospital) lane, I saw one. Yippee. But was there a Mini Cooper or VW bug hiding there to taunt me? Nope. Great! It was all mine. But as I started to pull in an ugly thought kicked in, I am sorry to say. Waaah...I don't want to be all the way at the end of the best row in the entire parking lot. I want to be in the best spot of the best row.

I caught myself and had to laugh. I am such a human! Here I was, getting my wish met, but it just wasn't good enough. I was thinking like a little kid not happy with anything. I hope I learned a little lesson from that!

Tomorrow is not just a day to recognize thankfulness for our country and forefathers, family and friends, turkey and dressing and a full tummy, but all the little things that we take for granted each day, like finding an almost perfect parking spot once in a while.