Dogs Don't Eat Pizza

This post is hard for me to write.  I had “our home” on my running list of things I’m grateful for, but in light of the devastation wrought by Sandy, I was hesitant to write about this now.  After so many people have lost their homes, I didn’t want to sing out how much I love my home.

Right now, there are many, many people in New York and New Jersey and in the northeast who are without homes.  Every night on the news, I see fathers explaining to little sons and daughters that they can’t go home.  I saw a woman who grew up in the house that was destroyed say, “I just want to go home.  I was going to grow old in this house.  I want to go home.”  Hearing these stories has made my gut twist and makes me want to go up there and invite everyone down here, where it’s warm and dry.

So, like never before, I am grateful for my home.  I am grateful for the four walls and roof and windows and doors, but I am more grateful for what lies within those walls.  I am grateful for love, for family, for hugs in the morning and night, for dogs sleeping on my feet, for warm socks and blankets, for good food that I can make in my kitchen, for warm showers, for bright light, for paint colors, for comfy chairs, for my fireplace, for my pictures, for my creations, for my yard, for my trees, for the owls who are currently arguing outside my window…

And then I think about how there are people within a day’s drive of me who have lost all of this.  And I want this for them, too.

So, it’s time to help.  Here’s what you can do as a first step.  Donate to the Red Cross.  They are on the ground in the affected areas, delivering food and water and batteries to make lives a bit better.  Here’s how you do it:

Give what you can.  If you can’t give money, consider donating coats, socks, gloves, diapers, whatever you can to a local agency helping with relief efforts.  Call your church or synagogue or check out the Red Cross website for locations.  They need our help.

Thank you for helping.  Thank you for stopping by…

Last thing:  This post is my 100th post.  I am so grateful for you – for reading my blog, for supporting me, for helping me.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  I am so blessed and lucky to have such amazing friends and a community to support me.  Mad love to you all. xo.

What are you grateful for today?