I Am Grateful

Today I worked on my speech a good part of the day.

Late in the afternoon I drove to visit Mom, stopping along the way to pick up some goodies from Freecycle. A Dr. Shoal's Foot Spa that looks to be hardly used, and a never opened "Fit Vegetable & Fruit Wash" system. Good score. Mom had told me on the phone earlier that she was making a stew for our dinner, then she called my cell phone when I was on my way there and said to meet her at the Chinese restaurant as she didn't like the way the stew turned out, the meat was too tough. So, Chinese it was. Afterwards we went to her place and had bread pudding for desert. She sent the stew meat home with me, saying it's eatable if I want, but otherwise feed it to the dog.

From Mom's, as always on Tuesdays, I rushed to Toastmasters. I found out last week that I was giving a speech tonight, so I finally got it written yesterday and practiced it today, but I am not happy with my presentation of it this evening. I know I could have delivered it much better if I had had more time to practice it. Oh well, then end result is that most, if not every person there liked it. I was told afterwards that one of the ladies there has Fibromyalgia, recent diagnosis, and is suffering from depression. Well, I guess for you to understand why this is significant, I better post a copy of the speech.

I received a good evaluation for it, and our Area Governor was there, a DTM (Distinguished Toast Master, the highest award) and she gave me a slip of paper with an evaluation on it that was very nice. She acknowledged what courage it must have taken to share my story. I hadn't thought of it that way really... I don't hide these things, am very open about them now, though guess I wasn't always.

I am grateful for time spent with my Mom.
I am grateful for the goodies from Freecycle.
I am grateful for my truck and gas in the tank so I can run around and do these things.
I am grateful that people liked and were moved by my speech.
I am grateful that someone who needed to hear my words was there tonight, and I hope it helps her.
I am grateful for my pellet stove, which I am currently sitting beside.
I am grateful for my bed which I hope to soon slip into.
I am grateful for all my critters that I am about to go feed and care for one last time today.
I am grateful for the food that my critters and I always have available to eat.