GIVING THANKS©
Another day is almost done
Now where can that woman be?
I've worked all day and it's getting late.
She should be cooking supper for me.
I guess I better check and see
What's taking her so long.
She went to the barn an hour ago
There might be something wrong.
Today is Thanksgiving and she had planned
To cook me a turkey feast.
And now she's outside again
In weather not fit for man nor beast.
So with my hat back on and my coat buttoned up
I headed out the door.
Through the snow I tramped, my head tucked down
The wind chilling me to the core.
As I got to the barn and opened the door
I could see her sitting there.
On a bale of hay, her back to me
And talking to my molly mare.
I stood and listened as she told Babe
What a lucky mule she was.
She told her, "You've got the best owner.
No one loves you like he does.
Then she turned to my other mules
And spoke to them the same.
They seemed to understand her
As she called them all by name.
And then the donkeys, one by one
Each came to hear her say
Have grateful she was to have them
On this Thanksgiving Day.
The parades, the rides the campouts
The drives, the games the shows
All of these she thanked them for
As I listened a lump in my throat started to grow.
She thanked the jenny for the foal.
The highlight of the year.
The baby gave her a donkey hug
As she scratched behind it's ear.
And then I heard her thanking me
For always being here
To help her realize her dreams
As I listened, I wiped away a tear.
So quietly I closed the door
And walked back through the snow.
I wouldn't tell her what I'd heard.
She didn't need to know
When she came in, I gave her a hug
Because we share something dear.
We have everything, we have each other.
And the love for all our longears.
by Kathy Dynge
