New Virtual Symposium: Mid-Month Challenge 9.
The topic: Ten Things that I am Thankful for
The challenge: None of things can be people
Gratitude is never simple to capture, yet this challenge asks me to name ten. I begin with the comforts of home, move through creativity and everyday supports, and end with the values that guide how I live and belong in the world.
Daily Comforts
Simple comforts
I am grateful for the small, steady comforts that make daily life feel secure and restorative: fuzzy socks and warm blankets on cold days, nourishing meals that sustain me, the stability of always having a roof over my head, and the fresh scent of clean sheets that makes bedtime inviting.
Creative Outlets
Books and reading
I am grateful for books that offer companionship and escape, but also for the way they sharpen how I shape my own words. A good line lingers, opening new ways to see and to express myself. Reading has carried me through quiet evenings, sparked ideas for writing, and reminded me that imagination and insight are always within reach.
Photography
I am grateful for photography, both taking pictures and the images themselves. A photo can catch a fleeting moment, preserve memory, and reveal details I might otherwise miss.
Everyday Supports
Transportation
I am grateful for the range of transportation options that make city life possible without driving. Subways, buses, and ride sharing services keep me connected and moving, and their affordable cost makes everyday travel practical and accessible.
Health care
I am grateful for health care that is not only accessible and expert, but life saving. At times when illness or injury could have changed everything, skilled professionals and compassionate care made recovery possible. Their work reminds me how vital knowledge, dedication, and kindness are, and how much it matters to live in a place where care is available when it is needed most.
Technology
I am grateful for technology in its many forms, from the devices that let me write and edit with ease to the tools that simplify everyday tasks like banking or travel planning. It keeps me connected, but it also opens doors to creativity, learning, and problem solving. Technology is woven into both the practical and the imaginative parts of life, making things possible that once would have been out of reach.
Guiding Values
Authenticity
I am grateful for the freedom to live as myself, to speak plainly, share experiences, and use my strengths with confidence. It means meeting challenges with resilience, adapting when life shifts, and practicing awareness and compassion in everyday choices.
Faith
I am grateful for faith that steadies me when life feels uncertain, and that deepens my sense of purpose beyond accomplishments. It brings strength, hope, and grace in ways that are both quiet and enduring. Faith shapes how I meet challenges, how I extend kindness, and how I stay grounded in service and compassion.
Democracy
I am grateful to live in a country that protects freedom and rights through the Charter, and insists on openness and inclusion. Canada celebrates differences, and its independence is non negotiable. Our democracy stands on its own, strong and distinct.
Limiting gratitude to ten entries is its own challenge. It means leaving out the people who enrich my life, who belong to a wider circle of gratitude that extends beyond these ten.
To see other members’ submissions, click here Mid-Month Challenge 9
17
16 comments
What a beautiful and deeply considered piece! I absolutely love your selections—they are profound and wonderfully unique. Limiting gratitude to non-people items is a tough challenge, but you've tackled it with grace, moving from the tangible and comforting to the abstract and guiding.
I especially appreciated the subtle yet powerful way you wove in elements of Canadian life. Your gratitude for:
Health care This selection perfectly captures the value of living in a country where care is "accessible and expert," emphasizing the "compassionate care" and vital assurance of availability—hallmarks of our universal system.
Democracy: The closing point is a powerful ode to our nation, explicitly mentioning the Charter and Canada's commitment to "openness and inclusion." It grounds your gratitude in the fundamental values of our collective society.
The structure is also fantastic, moving through Daily Comforts, Creative Outlets, Everyday Supports, and Guiding Values.A Deeper Circle of Gratitude
And finally, to address the "wider circle of gratitude that extends" beyond the ten things—the true emotional core that the challenge forced you to reserve. No list of thankfulness is complete without acknowledging family and in my case my two sons. That unconditional love and care is the ultimate guiding value, a constant, irreplaceable source of strength and purpose that shapes every comfort, creative act, and choice you make in the world. Their presence ensures that your well-being, resilience, and daily grace have a profound, enduring reason.
It is a truly thoughtful and moving submission. Well done!
@DavefromTor416 Thank you for taking the time to comment. I focused on the challenge’s parameters and the themes that emerged from them. It is good to hear the structure and emphasis resonated.
I am glad you mentioned photography. Especially with moments that can never happen again. I have a tremendous appreciation of photography, both as an art but also in historical and social context.
@resant78 Photography really does carry weight beyond the image itself — it can reflect history and shape how moments are remembered.
It's a wonderful thing to be able to have the freedom to live as oneself. 🙂
I'm grateful that I'm living debt-free, earning enough to cover my expenses.
@JN63JPN That kind of freedom really does make a difference. Living debt‑free and steady sounds like a good place to be 👍
Beautifully written!!! You made me smile and nod as I read
Hugs!!!
@PonyGirl1965 I’m glad it spoke to you — those moments of recognition are what make sharing here feel worthwhile 😊
I am thankful that you are part of this group. Your writings are such an asset to the Symposium!
@superbjversion2 Thank you. I’m grateful for the way you foster these challenges and happy to be part of the Symposium 😊.
Those are all excellent things to be grateful for we all should use this as an example for what we are all grateful for.
I hope you enjoy a very tempting Thursday..
@Tmptrzz “I appreciate your kind comment. Gratitude can take many forms, and I wanted this list to highlight everyday supports and guiding values. I’m glad it spoke to you.
May your Thursday be as tempting as you want it to be. 🙂
This is an impressive list, not only for its thoughtful content, but also for the considerable skill with pen and word on display. You can write!
@funfriendthrill Gratitude can be difficult to capture without slipping into repetition or abstraction, so I tried to let each entry stand on its own. I appreciate your recognition of both the content and the craft.
A great list.
@spunkycumfun Thanks. Funny 😂 how your comments are often so brief compared to your blogs!
Good things to be grateful for
@bignicktx Agreed 😊. What’s on your list of things you are grateful for?
@sexyldy1000 struggling with the list at the moment