Gratitude Challenge, Day Four

By Jack Brummet

1.  The bounty of the sea: Oysters, Black Cod a/k/a Sablefish, Sockeye Salmon, Halibut, Trout, Rockfish, Cod, Scallops, Shrimp, Mussels, Squid, Clams, Barnacles, Crab, Lobster, Abalone, Mackerel, Tuna, Ahi, Steelhead, Octopus, Catfish, Grouper, Monkfish, Sardine, Sea Bass, Skate, and Bluefish.

2.  The Birds.  I love them all--their songs, their flight, and their antics--but then, I've never been dive-bombed by a P.O.'d crow. My son Colum told us a story tonight about how he had to change his walking route home a year or two ago, because one crow had him in its gunsight.  He literally had to start walking home on a different street.  Then Del told us that a professor at the U (I don't know if it was his professor) has studied crows, and they actually meet up and somehow trade notes on people.  He also said that if a crow has it in for you that the crow's offspring will also seek you out, given the opportunity.

3.  Folks who work to keep people alive at Crisis Clinics and on hotlines.  I did this at The Sixth Chamber and the Crisis Clinic for a year and a half, and it was maybe the hardest thing I've ever done.  But when you reel one person back, or at least buy them some time, it makes your heart sing.  The hard part was that most of the time you never knew if you made a difference or not.   Thank you to all those people who keep on keeping on. . .especially those of you who come back from the brink.

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