With the addition of a new baby, we rearranged our rooms in our house to give both Colt and Rosebud (names for my kids on this blog) a room of their own while still maintaining a guest room and office. We had to combine the guest room and office which meant selling old office furniture and consolidating “stuff.”

Now that the new office furniture has arrived (with less room for all our things), we have spent the last 4 weeks putting “stuff” back in the room. I can’t believe that over the years I have just packed up things and moved them from apartment to apartment and then to our house. At the time it was “OK, let’s just get the boxed packed/unpacked” with no real look at the files that I was carting around the world.

This time it was different. We didn’t have room for all the files, boxes and books so we had to spend the time going through things and sorting, filing and trashing. During the process, I came across several papers that I wrote in both high school English and college Literature classes. Some of the writings were interesting so I thought I would share a few here on my blog. The first one is very appropriate for the Thanksgiving season.

“Now I Lay me Down to Sleep” by Kris Hoover (High School English, circa 1984-86)

I woke up this morning to find my luck hasn’t changed overnight. I was still the homeless, cold and tired vagabond who went to sleep last night on the grate.

What is that I hear on the streets? Today is Thanksgiving? What do I have to give thanks for today? I am homeless, cold and alone in the world. My clothes are ready to fall off and I have no money to buy new ones. I have no job to get money. Poor me.

Well, look who is coming down the street. It’s Willie the Wobbling Wanderer. He has no feet and one of his legs is severed at the knee so he walks lopsided. That’s where he got the name Wobbling. Poor Willie. At least I have two legs that can carry me where ever I want to go.

Look who is coming to see me now. “Hi Charlie. It’s me, Birdie.” I have to tell him who I am. He is blind. Poor Charlie. Thank God I can see.

I spent the whole day meeting people who had physical difficulties as well as mental or financial. By nighttime, I had realized that there is so much to be thankful for in this world. I began to think of all the people who have houses, jobs, family, friends and money. They seem to complain about their blessings more than I complain about my difficulties.

I complain because I don’t have a job. They complain because they have to go to work today. I complain because my cardboard box home is coming apart. They complain because their mattress is too soft. I complain because I have no family to be with. They complain because their family is always butting in their business. I say it hurts that I have no money to buy food and clothes. They argue when the food is too salty or the new dress they bought is too long.

Little do they realize, as I did today, that giving thanks is necessary. Start a list today of the things in your life that you are thankful to have. If nothing else, be thankful for life.

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
If I should die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take
Thank you Lord for making me see
That others around me aren’t as lucky as me
Life and breath are mine tonight
Though riches and wealth never come to my sight
Thanks I give for all I have now
For all this my head I do bow.