Thursday, April 14, 2011

M: M&M's = Gratitude



On my dresser is a jar of M&M's. It's been there for several years. Every Saturday I reach into the jar, take out one M&M and eat it. You're probably wondering why.

A couple of years ago I read a post about a man who figured his life expectancy was about 75 years. He calculated how many weeks that would be, then went out and bought a large glass jar. He filled it with marbles, one for each week he thought he had left to live. Once a week he removed one marble from the jar to remind himself how brief life is and how important it is to be thankful for every minute.


What a great idea. I decided to figure out how much time I have left I did this by consulting the Death Clock. I know this sounds macabre--it's a website on which you enter your birthdate and then learn approximately when you will pass away. Anyway, I figured how many weeks that would be and filled my jar, not with marbles but with M&M's. Chocolate gives me migraine so I eat very little of it, but one mouthful a week--that's not a headache, that's a treat. So on Saturdays I eat my candy and think about the good things that have happened over the last seven days--maybe the spring azaleas in gardens all over town, maybe an evening with my granddaughter, a phone call from a friend I haven't seen, a funny incident at work, a nice comment on my blog. And I'm grateful to have made it through another week and, hopefully, to have made the most of it.

9 comments:

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

What a lovely post. We all have so much to be thankful for, but so few of us realize it on a daily basis. I think I'll go get some M&Ms...now, all I have to do is remember not to eat them all at once!

Gene said... [Reply to comment]

You are so lovely Thelma
Love
Gene

Sylvia Ney said... [Reply to comment]

Wow - powerful post! I'm so glad I've found your blog. I'm stopping by from the A to Z challenge and I look forward to reading more from you.

Retired Knitter said... [Reply to comment]

Thelma
How wonderful to have found you. Thank you for visiting my blog.

And this post is so eloquent! Very thoughtful and true.

Lynn B said... [Reply to comment]

I am thankful to have a friend like you. Lovely thoughts, Thelma.

thelmaz said... [Reply to comment]

Thanks to all of you for stopping by. I love company.

Luana Krause said... [Reply to comment]

Great blog...Memories (the perfect M word). Nice music, too. Streisand RULES! I will visit again!

Spanj said... [Reply to comment]

What a great idea, but I could never use M&Ms, I would never have the self control for just one a week!

Margaret Hall said... [Reply to comment]

Intriguing posting, Thelma, and I would have to use marbles, as I LOVE m and m's too much...Thanks for the ideas...

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