I began writing tonight’s blog hours ago and while I thought I had this great idea, the more I wrote, the more I hated it.  It sounded shallow, contrived and a little preachy, like I have all the answers to make your life better.  Like my words can actually change your way of thinking.  Pretty egotistical as well.

Tonight is one of those nights where I’m struggling to find something to write about but I know just staying in the habit of writing is good for me, so here goes my stream of consciousness.  I want my words to mean something, I want them to make people think and feel something.  That maybe there is something in my journey that will connect me to you and we can find common ground and hopefully make our world a better place.

Lofty or egotistical?  I think we all want to find our place in the world, the reason we exist, and we want to be all we were meant to be.  So when I find myself in a place I never imagined and reflect on how I arrived, my first thought is to share the experience with you so that you might be encouraged to do something similar or at the very least, perhaps find a kindred spirit.

So maybe tonight, I’ll share what I’m grateful for instead of the usual “try to be inspiring or funny” blog.  I found myself being grateful for the sunshine, wind and the sound of the birds this morning as I drove to work.  I was grateful for a reliable car and a place to work with great colleagues and kids who are actually a lot of fun when they’re not losing their minds.  I was grateful for the ladies who came from a local church today bringing all the fixings for banana splits as a way to say thank you to teachers.

I’m grateful for close family, a husband who is always thinking of kind things to do and say, my boys, their girls and my new grandson.  I’m grateful that they’re all doing pretty well and finding their way in the world.  I’m grateful that I had food to eat today, clothes to wear and woke up in a beautiful comfortable bed.  I’m grateful that I have the ability to go for a walk with my best friend on a beautiful spring evening and drop in on one of my boys and his family.

I’m grateful for a career that spanned 27 years as of tomorrow and all of the wonderful musicians I have met over the years from all over the country.  I’m grateful to still be able to learn new things and contribute something to the world.  And while there are little daily annoyances and big ticket surprises that happen once in a while, I can look at all my blessings that are really too many to list here and be content.

So as tomorrow is the last day of school for this year, I will get ready to close up shop for another summer before beginning year number twenty eight in August.  I hope that wherever you are in your life that you have an opportunity to list what you are grateful for and spread a little sunshine in your little corner of the world.  And maybe I’ll find something to preach about tomorrow.