Have you noticed the trend in cars these days? Sam pointed it out to me or I would have been oblivious as usual. Cars no longer have bumpers or fenders. Huh. Didn’t notice.

Bumpers and fenders are like bubble wrap. Protection for the real deal.

I thought about that this morning on my 5 mile walk in the glorious chilly September air. I have plenty of bubble wrap protection for the real deal. I am just trying to walk that bubble wrap off, so I too can be like a shiny new car, all bumperless and fenderless.

At the end of this day, I am grateful for the hunger pangs – is it pangs or pains? – that are my reminder I can be hungry and still be okay.

I am grateful for the beginning color change of the leaves. It is barely, but I see it.

I am grateful Sam knows how to install a light. I can hang the crystals, but he knows how to do the real deal. That has absolutely nothing to do with bumpers and fenders and bubble wrap, except for the fact that it was surrounded in bubble wrap and styrofoam.

I am grateful for streetlights to pave my way in the darkness.

I am grateful for Orion and his belt that look down on me as I circle the cul-de-sac to the tune of sprinklers and crickets and early birds.

I am grateful for walks in the mostly dark, since I have bubble wrap and not cute walking clothes.

I am grateful for a Banana alarm clock, complete with whiskers and annoyance.

And finally, I am grateful for a trail to walk in the middle of the day across the street from work. I don’t care where the bubble wrap falls off, as long as it falls off.