The Big Three: Pumpkin Spice & everything nice

The world can be a crazy place. Sometimes it helps to step back and list a few of the things you’re grateful for. I’m making it a habit each week to list three blessings. Here’s what I’m grateful for this week, August 31 – September 6.

What I’m grateful for:

—Get up and move! I woke up the other day with a nagging pain in my neck. Of course, I wondered where that came from. I thought back on the previous day and nothing jumped out at me. I was getting annoyed and then I remembered something my mom used to say to me as kid. Instead of focusing on what doesn’t work, she used to encourage me to focus on what does. I temporarily put aside the pain and said a prayer of thanks. In my little list, I included my two good legs; my back that causes me the occasional bother, but generally is fine; two good hands; and a brain that gets me out of most of my problems. Of course, when I got up and got going, my pain in the neck was long gone. I don’t want to gloss over or make light of real health problems in the world. But at the same time a little bit of appreciation goes a long way.

—Bouncing back. “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall” — Confucius. Here’s to life’s bounces . . . as in bouncing back up.

—Coffee with a fall twist. Extra, extra, did you catch the news. Dunkin’s Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte returned as part of its 2025 fall menu launch on August 20. Starbucks not to be outdone, started selling their versions of Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pecan Oatmilk Cortado six days later. I generally like to hold off the holidays until closer to the actual time, but then I saw something that shocked me the other day.

Gene Autry released the classic Christmas song Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on September 1, 1949. A Christmas song before the trees even turned colors. I guess that makes it all okay. So, here’s to pumpkin spice lattes and celebrating early. Run Rudolph Run.

What gave me a smile?

—Big-time sports in America are in full swing. The NFL season kicked off this week. The Major League Baseball Playoffs will start later this month. Soccer fans in the US and across the globe have lots going on too. Hockey and NBA will kick off in another month.

But I was reminded me of the true meaning of sportsmanship and that some days you win and some days you lose some.