A Tale of Two Lists

I was trying to make a list of all the things I’m grateful for, but instead I became overwhelmed with all the things that are horrible right now and keep me in a state of never-ending depression and anxiety.

1. Hamas- deaths caused by Hamas, rapes by Hamas, destruction of a people by Hamas, the rise of anti-Semitism caused by Hamas lies and propaganda (Ok- anti-Semitism has been here since time immemorial, Hamas just brushed off the small amount of dirt covering it for the last few decades).
2. Constant marginalization, nay, nullification of women, whether in health care, in the current war or in the Supreme Court.
3. Republicans.
4. Musk.
5. Everyone’s grab for money—I mean I like nice things too, but that doesn’t mean I’d sell my soul and this country down the river.
6. The demonization of Biden and his son.
7. The overwhelming sense that Trump has hypnotized the majority of this country and will become the country’s first dictator —and even if he hasn’t, he’s going to definitely steal next year’s elections.
8. My cat Mini’s enlarged heart.
9. Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act.
10. Deep fake porn.

I must stop because it appears endless.

These are the days when taking time to be grateful, though REALLY difficult, is even more important.

I thought about this as I read about Shannon Dougherty, who has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and how she’s grateful for every day she has with her family and friends. She said she’s “so grateful for every second, every hour, every day we get to be here.”

With that in mind- I start again with my list of things I’m grateful for:

1. Malted milk balls.
2. All of my cats.
3. That David does a little bit of everything SHOCKINGLY well.
4. My newly carpeted office.
5. Recertification as a WBE for the next five years.
6. Feeding reindeer.
7. Heated bidets.
8. Ibuprofen.
9. Our new home on the water.
10. Working out over an hour a day.
11. Surviving our move.
12. Still creating documentaries.
13. Caviar.
14. An Uncle (my father’s brother) who’s 95. And an Aunt (my father’s sister) who’s going to be 85.
15. My posse of friends.

2:30 pm every day. Take time to be grateful.