I woke up this morning, crying. I had been crying in a dream. What an odd feeling. I started to wake Sam up and tell him what had happened that made me cry, but just as I was beginning to say something, I realized it had been a dream.

Still. Those emotions lingered and I wasn’t able to go back to sleep.

I am grateful for sad dreams. Evidence of deep down emotion. Sad dreams remind me to count my blessings, because I have been given many blessings.

I am grateful for the sounds of hammering all over this small town, evidence of roofs being replaced after a hailstorm.

I am grateful for warm sunshine on my shoulders mid afternoon as I sat on the front porch for a fresh air break, evidence of a beautiful spring day in small town USA.

I am grateful for sounds of a woodpecker and a mourning dove and robins and a cardinal – like the children playing in the park across the street, evidence that they all had something to say, or sing.

I am grateful for people who sing or whistle while they work. Evidence of happiness.

And I am grateful for disappointment. Evidence, once again, of deep down emotion, and an opportunity to try again…