Thanks for the ride

 Once, back in the days when I was first married to John, we hadn't been able to spend a lot of time together.  It seemed like something was always demanding our attention and he really just needed me to be with him.  We took a little drive up to Payson from the valley and found the airport up there on a hill. 
The airport sits on top of a mesa and the planes just fly right off the edge.  We drove up to where we could see the airport and we parked the car and had us a little picnic right by the side of the road.  It was peaceful just to be there. 
John loves flying and seems to not mind the noise of the planes as long as they are taking off or landing.  It is much different for me and this wasn't my normal idea of a picnic.  However, we were able to be together, talk together, and communicate about things that mattered to both of us.  We had a really good time doing something that was very simple and very rewarding.  We were just thankful to be together. 
Sometimes, we all need to take a little time to just appreciate each other and to acknowledge our differences and the way that those differences complement each other.  Somehow, I don't think Heavenly Father expects us to be the same as everyone else.  It is the differences in us that make life interesting and more fulfilling. 
This is the month of November in which we celebrate Thanksgiving.  It is so easy to get so involved in just living my life, and sometimes I don't practice being thankful enough for the blessings that I have been given.  I get so caught up in the day to day running of things that I forget to just stop and breath, or as John used to always tell me, "take time to smell the roses, or have a little picnic". 

"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey ... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."
— Gordon B. Hinckley

So, today, I am thankful for the ride.  It is amazing!