My Cup of Gratitude

I'm thankful for the days when we lose track of time. We've gone several weeks without any of us having a watch, and the clock in the Jeep always tells us that it's 2:00. We get up and lay down with the sun. We work hard, but we don't have to hurry, no running around from place to place.

I'm thankful for beans and rice.

I'm thankful for a language barrier. I am challenged to consider carefully what I'm going to say before I say it, whether speaking in Spanish or in English. My mind always has to be in action--translating from one language to another and then back again. I am learning to appreciate the depth behind the words.

I'm thankful for laughter, and for all the moments during the day when we stop and laugh at ourselves. Our senses of humor become strong defense mechanisms; they are key to daily survival.

I'm thankful for the quiet evenings we spend out at the land. We are tired from the long hours of work, but we remain cheerful. We sit around and speak in Spanish and eat dry bread dipped in milky Peruvian tea, our feet propped up on each other's chairs.