24 Extra Hours

     I've been reading all the hoopla about Leap Day. Every four years we get an extra day. Ok. Extra day. 24 more hours than the last couple years... how do I make it count? I've decided to make today my own personal "Leap Year Brag Day".
     I truly have so much to brag about. I am alive! That is the biggest!! Just in my lifetime, the death toll of family and friends is very high, and death has touched someone of every age. From the oldest, my grandfather in his early 90's, to the youngest, my granddaughter who was only 4 months old, I just don't understand death. I guess I am not suppose to understand it. With every death, I find myself with more and more questions as to the rhyme and reason of each life. Why are some so lucky to live a long life and others not given a chance to even know they have a life? I just don't get it. But!! The gratitude I have~ that I woke up breathing this morning, WOW!, now that is LIFE!!
     I am happy to say that I also enjoy good health. As a 50's something, I can still get around pretty good. I have the use of all my limbs. I can still hear and see well (yes I wear glasses, but if you're over 40 - who doesn't!?!). About to hit a 15 year milestone of giving up cigarettes. (woo hooo!!) After all the drug experimentation back in the day and living life on the edge of everything all my life, I count each day a blessing.  I think the most important of all is I have a good attitude about life. I am one lucky girl. I work 2 jobs, one is physically demanding and I can still keep up!! (Yay!) I am a gamer, I have a DS 3D that I take everywhere with me!! I read alot and now claim to be a 'writer'!! Can't get any better than this!
     I am grateful for my relationship. I am coming up to a 4 year anniversary of the night I met Del. From the minute I met him, I was completely and utterly comfortable. I know that sounds lame. And not very romantic. I went through all that in my younger years, you know, basing everything on those 'feelings' of love and desire. Not to say Del and I don't have those feelings but from the very beginning we just connected. For the first time in all my history with men, I didn't just jump in the sack with him. We waited. And agonizingly we waited some more. We had this discussion about finding out if we could be friends first. Both of us burned so badly by mistakes made in failed relationships. We hung out, we drank, we ate, we enjoyed time together, acting like high schoolers with all consuming crushes.... and the wait paid off!! I've not felt so sure of anything in my life as I am about his feelings for me. As human beings we strive for the ultimate feeling of love and security from our partners, and in Del I have that. I must say also, I love him like no one else in my life.
     I have a fantastic family unit. 2 great kids, 6 wonderful grankids. My Mom is living at age 77, by herself and to this day still inspires me. Lost my Father many years ago, and is one of the few relationships I wish I had today. I have both my siblings and all my nieces and nephews and their families.....and it just keeps growing!!
     I also have a wonderful 'family' of friends. I was not much of a friend to women as I grew up, girls as a rule are just so stupid. (Guy friendships were easier because there was no competition, even now men are more approachable than women.) I did manage to find a rare few that clicked with me. I am not an easy woman to know if you are a woman. I am sorta standoffish. Not that I think I am better or that I don't measure up or that they are or don't... but just not that much in common. I've been told that I am somewhat overbearing. Not really, I just don't take shit and I think for myself. Some women find that trait hard to deal with. Good. If you have issues with that, then you have too much drama for me. I have discovered as I age that those few women I have befriended over the years, have become a great part of my grand scheme in life. Without them, how could I grow? In the last few years I have made a couple new girlbuddy friendships. I am learning so much about myself from all of these very different and amazing women. For this, I am grateful beyond words.
     Am I happy? Yes. Am I grateful? Yes. Am I satisfied with my life? Mostly. Truth be told, I would not go back and change a moment. Every little thing that has happened in my life has brought me to today. How in the hell could I not be grateful??