Thankful
In
the spirit of the holiday....
I'm
thankful to have known my
grandparents and for the continued
opportunity to know my parents.
So many of my friends have
lost loved ones in the past
few years and while nothing
I say can ever take that pain
away, I find some peace in
the knowledge that the more
intensely we hurt when they
are gone is just a reflection
of how intensely we loved
them when they were here.
I'm
thankful for the generosity
of friends. The last two years
have been unpredictable and
tumultuous and it is only
with the help of friends that
I have received the stability
and support to keep moving
forward.
I'm
thankful to be at a place
in my life where events like,
get this, a two-year old going
"poopies on the potty" for
the first time become significant,
benchmark moments. There was
a point in my life where I
seriously wondered how I would,
with all the commitments and
people in my life, find both
the time and the room in my
heart to love a child. I am
continually amazed at how
children open up portions
of our personality that we
never knew we had and give
us a humanity and humility
that cannot be found anywhere
else.
I'm
thankful for taking the time
to reflect on past mistakes.
We never learn if we're not
willing to go back and rethink
our decisions every once and
a while.
I
am thankful, as a Dallas Cowboys
fan, that this football season
is almost over. I am grateful
as well not to be a San Diego
Chargers fan.
I'm
thankful for the friends and
strangers that take the time
to come to a live show, purchase
a CD or download a song. Art
is, to me, about sharing a
thought, feeling or idea with
others. At it's highest form,
it is about me as an artist
and you as a listener connecting
through the song on a spiritual
level for a few moments.
I'm
thankful for remembering to
pause and look up at the multitude
of stars scattered across
the night sky.
I'm
thankful to live in a country
where the will of the people
is still more important than
the Machiavellian greed and
desire of individual candidates
for elected office. Politicians
need to remember that holding
a public office is not something
that they are entitled to,
but rather something that
we the people, as a whole,
allow them to do.
I'm
thankful for the new extra-wide
opening on diet Coke cans.
Caffeine delivery turbocharged.
I
am thankful for the privilege
of being able to watch several
of my extremely talented friends
finally finding some of the
success that they are due.
I've been a fan of Lennie
Peterson's comic strip "The
Big Picture" for several years
now and he's finally found
his national audience. Lennie
is well on his way to establishing
himself as another Bill Watterson,
Gary Trudeau, and Berke Breathed.
Then there is the music industry
power team of Fran and Laurie
Flannery. Laurie, a woman
in an industry still dominated
by males, has had her talents
recognized by one of the top
mastering engineers in the
world. He liked her so much
he hired her. And her husband
Fran (also known as the producer
and collaborator on both of
my albums) is coming into
his own as an independent
producer and engineer. His
client list gets more impressive
every year and I know it won't
be long before he gets nominated
for a Grammy or sells a million
albums.
I'm
thankful for taking an extra
five minutes to lie with my
sleeping daughter. It is peace
and innocence personified.
I
am thankful for National Public
Radio as an alternative to
the high-gloss headline-a-minute
over-the-top sensationalism
of network television newsertainment
stations.
I'm
thankful for you, for taking
the time to read this column.
I am grateful as well for
the many of you who write
back in response. These columns
aren't meant to be gospel,
merely to be a jumping off
point for further discussions.
Writing is more fun when it's
an interactive medium.
I'm
thankful for the first real
conversation I've ever had
with my daughter... there
is nothing so amazing as having
her express her thoughts and
feelings verbally for the
first time....
I
am thankful to have people
in my life whom love me. You
don't need to hear it form
me, but holidays are best
shared with loved ones...
that's what makes them so
special.
Happy
thanksgiving everyone.
This
column © 2000 Lee Totten
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