“I Am Thankful”
Yesterday in Holmes County, my friend Myron shared the following poem with Rich Stevick and me.
Later in the day we shared it with a few more Amish friends, who seemed to like it. I hope you do too. Happy Thanksgiving.
I Am Thankful – Poem Of Thanksgiving
I am thankful:
For the wife
Who says it’s hot dogs tonight
Because she is home with me
And not out with someone else.
For the husband
Who is on the sofa
Being a couch potato
Because he is home with me
And not out at the bars.
For the teenager
Who is complaining about doing dishes
Because it means she is at home,
Not on the streets.
For the taxes I pay
Because it means
I am employed.
For the mess to clean after a party
Because it means I have
Been surrounded by friends.
For the clothes that fit a little too snug
Because it means
I have enough to eat.
For my shadow that watches me work
Because it means
I am out in the sunshine.
For a lawn that needs mowing,
Windows that need cleaning,
And gutters that need fixing
Because it means that I have a home.
For all the complaining
I hear about the government
Because it means
We have freedom of speech.
For the parking spot
I find at the far end of the parking lot
Because it means
I am capable of walking,
And I have been blessed with transportation.
For my huge heating bill
Because it means
I am warm.
For the lady behind me in church
Who sings off key
Because it means I can hear.
For the pile of laundry and ironing
Because it means
I have clothes to wear.
For weariness and aching muscles
At the end of the day
Because it means I have been
Capable of working.
For the alarm that goes off
In the early morning hours
Because it means
I am alive.
Thanksgiving Poem
I love the poem and do you know who wrote it? Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Poem Author
I do not know the poem author, I was hoping someone here might. There was no author attached to the copy I saw and I couldn’t find anything online. If anyone knows please let us know and I’ll add it. Happy Thanksgiving!
I am THANKFUL
AMEN AMEN AMEN!!!
Thankful for this site
I am very thankful for this site. For all the lovely articles which are a blessing to me.
Thank you, Anne! I am thankful that you and others want to read it.
I AM THANKFUL
An unexpected twist on the reality of life. Lots of daily complaints… but it is all relative to our individual situations. Life can always be better, but it can always be worse. Once one accepts life is hard, all the good things that come our way are a blessing. For me, I miss all my family and the fun gatherings. Today, I am thankful for being that “couch potato” while my adult daughter with challenges is cooking up a simple chicken dinner.
As a direct descendant of Pilgrim James Chilton who died on ship off Cape Cod, I guess I have it pretty good. I might even savor all the happy memories of years past before I treat myself to a long nap!
Thank you for the insightful poem to ponder over. Who was the original author? I will share this with others and would like to acknowledge credit.
Gobble, gobble until you almost wobble!!!
Laura in Rhode Island
I AM THANKFUL!
What a lovely reply to this beautiful poem. Thank you for sharing your thoughts about your blessings and thanks givens. It is always a wonderful gift to hear the important parts of another’s view of the importance of family and friends that can easily be missed in today’s society, it can be lost by being caught up in the fast pace of life that captures the essential things many have forgotten of the importance that they play in our every day living. May you continue to be blessed and cherish what you find completes you and your future, bringing you back to your family memories that keep us all humbled in a time that focuses on war and fear. Blessings to you and your family from our family with prayers!
I ALWAYS ENJOY READING ABOUT YOUR VISITS TO THE AMISH. IT IS SO VERY INTERESTING.
IT HAS TAUGHT ME SO MUCH ABOUT THE WONDERFUL AMISH IN AMERICA. I AM IN FLORIDA
RIGHT NOW FOR A FEW MONTHS. MY HOME IS IN WESTERN PA ABOUT 75 MILES NORTH-
WEST OF PITTSBURGH. (SHARON)
THANK YOU ERIK,
JIM H.
Glad you enjoy it Jim, I appreciate it! Enjoy your time in Florida, you’re there at the right time:)
Being Thankful
This really makes you think about all that we have to be thankful for and to count our blessings and quit taking things and people for granted.
Beautiful
I am thankful for the poem.
Nice but
Nice, but doesn’t sound that Amish to me. Take the stanza about the husband being a couch potato but not out to the bars — how many Amish men ever go drinking at bars, and with their work ethic I doubt there are many amish couch potatoes.
Robert Strikwerda
I like the point. I would doubt that an Amish person wrote this. Yet some bad examples notwithstanding, I think they can still appreciate that they don’t have as much of those things happening in their homes and communities, being aware of what goes on in the world around them.
A keeper, no matter the author
I will keep the poem along with a similar one I clipped from the Sunday paper magazine section over 20 years ago, by Richard Armour, titled, “Many Thanks. ” I dig it out every year at Thanksgiving to remind myself and others of all we have to be thankful for in our lives.
As others have said, I, too am thankful for Amish America and Erik’s hard work to keep it interesting and informative and at times, downright funny!
Alice Mary
Thanks, Alice Mary. Good to think about these things periodically. That’s one good thing avout this holiday.
Amish Ancestors
It is a good poem. Perhaps it was authored by a former Amish or Mennonite. I’m thankful for this website too.
I’m grateful for Amish Ancestors who lived and died helping to establish freedom here in America, with courage, dignity, and love beyond measure for all.
Thankyou for including me. Enjoy your site n all the Amish information. They surely are an unusual people with a way of life that tries to honour God n worth learning from. Enjoyed the poem too.
I like it! Thank you for sharing it!
want to wrote for Amish now
my simple contribution
Amish
Celui qui connait sa valeur
n’aura point de malheur
il s’aura toujours se montré droit
et aimera son prochain
Celui qui connait le labeur
n’aura point de douleur
il sera courageux et fier
du travail et de sa terre
Celui qui connait la vie simple
n’aura point de besoin
il sera heureux
avec les siens
Celui qui connait un Amish
connait déjà tout ça
car il aura compris
le vrai sens de la vie
——————————-
Amish
The one who knows his value
will have no misfortune
he will always have shown himself right
and will love his neighbor
The one who knows the hard work
will have no pain
he will be brave and proud
of work and its land
The one who knows the simple life
will have no need
he will be happy
with his familly
The one who knows an Amish
already know all that
because he will understand
the true meaning of life