I’m grateful for our cozy house and for things like dishes, furniture and glazed windows. For running water and flush toilets, electricity and central heat. These are luxuries most opulent and most rare, that almost none of humanity throughout history and today have experienced. Especially for plentiful good food and for the delight of cooking and eating it. For cleanliness and health. For dentists and the opportunity to keep my own teeth into old age.

For technological society as a whole, which has brought me such boons as these. For the scientific method and inventors throughout time. For power plants, factories, big oil, big ag, and big box stores, which feed and clothe us and keep us warm and safe. These things all are tremendous, and for them I’m thankful. I’m especially thankful for the spirit of cooperation and lawfulness that lets all these systems work. I’m so glad our government and our society actually do work, and are not rotten with violence and corruption as they are in so many places. For the opportunity to live in a just, peaceable, and lawful society I feel profound gratitude, and I’m thankful for all the people who put themselves in the path of danger to keep it so.

For the opportunity to live within the community of Saints, I feel such gratitude, as well. For service and friendship, and simply for the blessings of knowing so many wonderful good people.

For the web that enriches my life by connecting me with the smart, kind people of the bloggernacle, and with people like Dr. Sunitha Krishnan, Mawi Asgedom, Greg Mortenson, Lynea Lattanzio, and all the other brave, crazy, and wonderful folks who are building tomorrow’s world. Particularly I’m glad for the opportunity to join them and do my part.

For my Mom who’s worked tirelessly for sixty years to give her children what they need and teach them how to live. Her love inspires me daily.