Yep, my computer. It ranks right up there at the top of my list, because it allows me to keep in touch with so many people I love. My mother lives far away and is not good at talking on the phone, but loves to communicate by email. I print out all of her emails to me. They are chatty letters telling me everything she does in her daily life. It might not always be exciting things, but I like hearing about what she is doing. It's the ebb and flow of the seasons showing up in her writing - digging up the geraniums and planting the bulbs in the fall, planting the seeds in the spring, washing the windows, etc.
My brothers are also far away, and I know we wouldn't hear from each other much if it weren't for email or facebook. We all have busy lives and the chances of making a connection by phone are not good. But an email can wait until the recipient is available, and that makes so much more sense to me. Not only that, but we share photos - definitely a bonus.
My own children are all grown except for one. Most of the time we keep in touch by texting since they are fairly close by, but we still email a lot and exchange photos and information that way.
When my brother David passed away a year and a half ago, the huge amount of connections I made on facebook was wonderful. It was amazing how quickly people 'circled around' and offered comfort! People I hadn't heard from in years were able to find me and get in touch - for many of them it was the only way they would have found information about the funeral arrangements as they were from far away.
My husband teases me for being addicted to my computer, but, yes, that's what I'm giving thanks for today :)
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