It seems as though everywhere we turn we’re battered with negativity. Television, newspapers, even our families, co-workers, and friends—they’re all quick to single out what’s wrong with the world around us.

            The fact remains that we have countless things in our lives to be grateful for; even some of the ‘bad’ things if we study them objectively to see what lessons we’ll learn by facing our problems head on.

            You probably think I sound like Pollyanna but I don’t feel at all like that today. It's raining—hard. I have a headache, I'm wet and I smell like sheep (I was shifting them from pasture to pasture when the heavens opened and I still have to feed, probably in the cold pouring rain, so I'm not showering until after I do), I have lots of writing to do tonight and very little energy to do it.

            But when I plopped down at the computer, mumbling under my breath, I gave myself a wakeup call. How? By stopping to study the image on my computer’s desktop display.

            Here’s what I’ve done. I’ve picked out pictures of things I’m grateful for—in most cases these are photos I’ve taken of my farmyard friends. I placed them in a folder I labeled “For desktop” and I use my PC’s Display Properties feature to change the desktop image every few days.

            When I’m glum (or wet or grumpy!) or stumped by writer’s block, I sit here with my chin in my hand and contemplate. These pictures nearly always make me smile and think about the many blessings that are part of my life.

            I’ll attach the picture that’s been on my desktop the past few days. This pretty Boer is MAC Goats K’ehleyr. Matt and Claudia Gurn gave her to me when she was three days old after we helped them with their goats at a production sale. She has conformation Boer owners dream of and an ennobled pedigree to match. That I could ever own a goat like K’ehleyr is blessing #1.

            K’ehleyr has always been my extra-special girl. As a wee bottle baby she was ultra-cuddly and sweet and oh so smart. She even housetrained herself without our input, calling at the door when she needed to go out. The five weeks she lived in the big dog crate in our living room were sheer magic. That was blessing #2.

            When we bred K’ehleyr, her pregnancy went like clockwork until the very end, then she went down with what we thought was pregnancy toxemia (but it was even worse). On an ice-encrusted day when no one was supposed to be on the roads, and while Internet friends around the World prayed and sent us Reiki, we loaded K’ehleyr in the back seat of our Honda Accord and crept the 35 miles north to our vet’s practice in West Plains, Missouri. That we arrived intact was blessing #3.

            Instead of simple pregnancy toxemia, K’ehleyr had ringwomb. Her cervix wouldn’t dilate and she couldn’t give birth. The only way she would survive was with an expensive C-section that we simply couldn’t afford. My best friend, Lori Olson, loaned me the money to pay for the surgery so K’ehleyr could live. That was blessing #4.

            Dr. Ulmanis completely closed his practice for the day to clear the way for K’ehleyr’s surgery. He personally sat with her for hours afterward, when it looked as though she might not come out of the anesthetic. But she did—and her twin buckling babies survived the surgery too! That was blessing #5.

            I took this picture of K’ehleyr two weeks ago. She’s still (and always will be) my extra-special friend. As I gaze at her image on my computer I’m reminded of the great kindness of so many people toward me and my sweet Boer girl. :o)

            It’s the time of year for gratitude and thanksgiving. So I suggest two things:

1)      Find a way to remind yourself of your blessings on an everyday basis and take time to feel grateful for them. It does a lot to push away the blues and negate the negativity we’re bombarded with every day.

2)      Post about the things you’re grateful for at this Thanksgiving season! Tell us a story or make a list. It’ll make you smile—and I, for one, would love to share your joy.    

Sue