What am I thankful for?
Selfishly thankful? Or salt-of-the-earth thankful, you know, not thinking about myself but those who really make me who I am?
That list is long.
First of all, much love to all those persons or groups of people of great kindness, reliability and honesty, you salt-of-the-earth folks…I’ll even include referees in the category, bless you!
My readers! Very thankful for those who like my column…Maybe someday I will be brave enough to allow a comments section! Ha, no. I am way too sensitive.
Skippy Sprinkles! Can’t explain that guy, you just have to find him yourself, or rather he will find you and bring joy to all with his signature, “Good job, everybody!”
Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé. Very thankful for JDHS when it is a busy sports weekend.
Thunder Mountain Middle School. All those young athletes in one place together should make writing about them easier…right? Okay, I’m struggling to get in touch with the correct folks in power to do that…Help me out, readers!
“Woot woot!” One of our running buddies says that all the time. It means good job, or good effort, or good (insert your favorite item here).
A pumpkin pie so dark and creamy it jiggles like gelatin in Santa’s refrigerator.
A friend-induced belly laugh that makes you cry.
Dogs playing in the snow (not leaving doggy stuff behind).
Hockey on lakes and ponds and muskeg ovals.
Blizzak tires.
A porcupine feeds on tree bark Thanksgiving day on Perseverance Trail. (Klas Stolpe / Juneau Empire)
“A Charlie Brown Christmas.” You might have to have Apple TV, though, to get it. Wow, I remember when it came out in ’65, brought joy to my heart and a tear to my eye. Still does. Why I even have “Skating” and “Christmas Time Is Here” (the vocal) on my running iPod — don’t judge! I used to have “Linus & Lucy” on it, too, but I started running all crazy.
Someone put a leftover carved pumpkin — wearing a pilgrim hat — on top of a snowman body…that made me laugh, all three seasons rolled into one…I am thankful for that touch of mirth (but please clean it up now, that pumpkin is looking kind of pie-ish).
Trails, the longer the better.
Highways, the shorter the better.
Significant others and their tolerance.
The “gauntlet of greetings.” That neighborhood street you just can’t walk through without being wished well.
An old photograph that makes you sigh with emotion.
Jeff and his annual Holiday House in the Flats. I was just hiking past today and he was already carrying Santas out of his garage after checking their illumination. He says he begins the day after Halloween… I think he does this all year around.
Porcupines… and porcupettes. Or just a porcupine or porcupette. Sometimes you get a group of them coming down the trail at you and that can be unnerving, kind of have to read the room.
Blinkers. So thankful when folks use blinkers.
Bikers in bike lanes. Easy peasy.
Snow machine tracks that go waaaaaay up and out and lead to a place no normal snowshoe addict would go without them. Thank you, gear heads!
Parents. Thanks for having your kids in sports.
Kids. Thanks for playing sports.
Teachers. Thanks for keeping those youthful tykes engaged.
Invitations. Love invitations.
A good old-fashioned hand-written letter. Got one this year. So cool.
Diet Dr. Pepper mixed with chocolate milk. Acquired taste.
Ketchup on ultra runs. Again, acquired.
Popcorn with ketchup and sometimes soy sauce or brewers yeast, oh yum!
Morning constitutionals. And coffee of course.
Running at night.
Mountains, day or night.
Tide pooling.
Listening to sea life.
Those who help me with my mental and physical health.
A roof over my head. Yes, I wish it were my own affordable home roof but it is not.
Now I am starting to add wishes and get political on my thankfulness tirade and that gets problematic.
So how about a big three?
Memories of my parents.
The health of family and friends.
And you…whoever or wherever…the opportunity to be thankful for you.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.
