Thankful A

So, Aloted challenged me to write a thankful post based on the first letter of my name, Adaeze.
Not an easy job! I have been thinking all week what to write and my head is still short of ideas. And she hasn't even done it herself! Hehe.

I am thankful for....
Air - it's pretty obvious. Without it I wouldn't be alive. But being short of air is really a feeling that causes panic. I've climbed a few mountains, and as everyone knows, the air becomes thinner the higher you get. We are breathing it right now but we rarily think about it! So here goes, now think about it! lol
Almonds - Those nuts keep me going when I'm real hungry...
Apples - Pure apple juice is so good!

I already feel I need to be getting more serious here.. ok let me try:

Our anatomy - Studying biology (I don't, but used to) really makes one amazed and appreciative of the amazing machinery that we all really are. Every cell is meticulously designed for a purpose. Everything contiously renews itself and the only fuel we give our body is food, water and sleep. Our blood coagulates as soon as we get a scratch, and our body heals amazingly fast. Last year I had an accident and lost an inch off my little finger. My body's defence mechanism even made sure that I didn't feel a thing for the first 2-3 minutes. But when the pain set in..Don't even get me started. Anyway, I thought it would never heal. Fingers are extremely sensitive. I was in bed for a week with such excruciating pain I could not concentrate on any other thing than lying there shaking and talking. But after just 2 weeks the exterior parts of the finger was already closed up. The interior parts have taken a long time to heal, but nevertheless, it heals. Did you know the skin is considered our biggest organ and its completely renewed every month?

Animals - Animals give us the wonderful diversity we have on this planet. They all serve a purpose and we should really not take them for granted. The worms who cleans the soil, the birds who eat the insects, the bees who suck the flowers and polinate and spread the seeds, etc etc. Each animal has an unique place in the eco-system. They give us milk, eggs and meat. They help us with labour. And sometimes I feel they represent the innocence that us human beings very often lose. Very few animals are greedy, they only take what they need and don't spoil the earth in which they live. Animals are also a very untapped resource - they have trained sperm-whales to detect mines, dolphins do to the same, dogs you can use to guide blind people, guard compounds, herd sheep, detect mines, drugs, money or even cancer!

Acceptance - It's a beautiful thing when human beings accept each other in spite of difference of opinion, religion, ethnicity or race.

My abilities - I am thankful for being skilled in many different fields. No one can be perfect in anything but the amazing part of us as human beings is that we can train ourselves in almost anything. Practice makes perfect (well, almost)

Abolition - I am deeply thankful of the abolition of several horrible practices. Slave trade and death penalty are two of them (at least in many countries)

Adversity - Without it I wouldn't be the person that I am today. Adversity forms character and in most cases promote humility which I believe is a very important human quality.

Affection - One of the most beautiful feelings in our spectrum of emotions.


Last but not least - Africa. The continent where it all started. The cradle of humanity. The real origin of democracy * With its beautiful savannahs, high mountains, dry deserts and lush rainforests. It's diversity of life, be it plants, animals or human beings.

(Edit: In my own view anyway, I think African history is way too poorly recorded - the official version of the origin of democracy is Ancient Greece, but there are several examples of early quasi-democracy in Africa)