Perhaps I am simply getting old-er. Or, maybe Ann Voskamp’s prompting to make note of all things for which we are thankful--big, small, or somewhere in-between--has birthed the following reflections. Regardless, here is just a random sampling of things that amaze me. Or, I’m just glad that they function they way they do.
Air Travel--For those for whom air travel goes with their professional territory, those two words might inspire a groan, internal eye roll, and a nervous twitch associated with their last four-hour delay “experience” in the city of Delta’s hub. However, I find it fascinating that a large group of people, all shapes and sizes, can enter into a tube of tin and find themselves traveling at triple-digit mph where they will be delivered to their intended destination in a shorter amount of time than traveling by car. No matter how you slice it, it’s pretty darn astounding. And, occasionally, your luggage even arrives with you. A Festivus miracle.
Libraries--I know, I know, I’m a bibliophile; so, such bastions of intellectual stimulation make me giddy. But, think about this concept. You walk into a building, packed with books. With a picture i.d., you obtain a library card. At no cost to you. At that point, you can wander through the stacks, select your titles (usually twenty-five books are the maximum), and hand your card to the librarian. With a scan and a swipe, your brain power has the potential to increase exponentially. And, they trust you to return those materials on a pre-determined day. And, they will print out a receipt and send you an e-mail to remind you of what is due--and when.
Should you find yourself tardy with your returns, they charge you a very small fee. In comparison to the cost of the materials that you thrust into your earth-friendly totebag, it is miniscule. You can even borrow DVDs, Audio Books, and the like. Magical, eh?
Postage Stamps--This might fall into a similar category as libraries. But, ponder this with me, for just a moment. You write a note, send a card, or what have you. You place the item in an envelope, address it, and affix a $.49 stamp on it--and it gets to the desired location. For less than the cost of a shareable bag of M&Ms, your correspondence flies about the country--or possibly across an ocean--and, generally speaking, lands in the right mail slot. Nifty stuff.
The list has just begun. Sometimes, it's the little stuff like finding all the matching socks in the laundry, or discovering that He Who Is Now Taller Than I has set the trash receptacle at the curb, without being asked. Or realizing that you have all the ingredients for chocolate chip cookies in your pantry--without having to make a Kroger trip.
Whatever makes you grin, chuckle, or otherwise glad.
Chocolate chip cookies, here we come! Oh, snap, the emergency bag of chips has been depleted. Excuse me while I make a run to the grocery.
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