Not Taking Things for Granted

What do you think when you find this in your husband's pocket?

H.'s black leather jacket is hanging on one of the metal hooks by the back door. He was upstairs and I rifled through the pockets to find his wallet to get some cash; I knew he just went to the ATM. Wallet not there. What was: Plain ChapStick [I put it in his Christmas stocking] and Listerine Cool Mint Breath Strips.

I don't want to take things for granted anymore--my friendships, my good fortune, my home, my health, my heart, my skills, my family or my husband. So for some reason, it occurred to me when I found those things that I'm lucky H. is faithful and true, that I know 100 percent that the ChapStick and the Breath Strips are exactly what they appear to be at face value, that he's not involved with someone else [and if you think about it, both of those things could implicate dating--a lip treatment and a breath freshener]. I'm glad I can go through his pockets and not worry about him cheating on me. I'm glad I don't find lipstick marks [not my color] or perfumed pink paper with a phone number written in flowery script. Script that promises pleasures to come.

But as a writer, you see, I could weave a whole fictional tale around this discovery. Just as you probably could when visualizing me rifling through my husband's jacket pockets for grocery money.

This must seem like a random post that comes out of nowhere. But this is the year to not take things for granted.

Good night.

TCOY

1. Bought new issue of Eating Well Magazine this morning and made the slow-cooker chicken in it, with mushrooms, onions, garlic and thyme. Very good for a wintry day.
2. Walked Sug around block twice in the freezing cold. We were both shivering, her in her little plaid fleece with the turned-up collar. 
3. Bubble bath, even if brief.
4. Stared down fancy praline chocolates and sandwich cookies at Kings.