Giving thanks...

Before I lay down and finally go to sleep, I just wanted to jot down a few passing thoughts I had today...

I have been thinking a lot about how I love Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday, and not because it occurs during my birth month, but because of the reason for it. It's a day to reflect upon all the things that are wonderful and good in our lives, something we don't do often enough, something that we should probably do at least once a week instead of once a year. Shoot, maybe we should do it every single day!

I'm not talking about stuffing your face until you fall into a coma or someone has to roll you out of the dining room into the bathroom, but reflecting on what's good and amazing in each of our lives.

I am so thankful for all of my family and friends - the old and the new, the lost and the found, the ones I see and speak to often, and the ones that I should keep up with better.

I am so thankful for the love of my life and our beautiful son, who is a miracle in and of himself, because he almost wasn't here...

I'm thankful for brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents, and all the wonderful familial relationships in between, the ones we are tied to by blood and the ones we are tied to by our hearts and spirits.

I'm so thankful for the different things I know I can do, my various hobbies, being able to teach again, singing, writing, laughing, crying, standing up for myself, encouraging others to love themselves more, and all the gifts, talents, skills and abilities I possess.

I'm thankful for differences, in appearance, opinion, for friends who fight so I can stay home safe, for family who risks life so others can keep theirs...

I'm thankful for any and everyone that's ever read anything I've ever written and gotten a different perspective, walked away feeling better about themselves after reading, or any other positive outcome.

I'm thankful for the freedom to express myself, and hopefully to help others do the same.

I'm thankful for life, for living, and for loving the life I have. I'm thankful for every morning I wake up, knowing that it's a fresh day with no mistakes in it (paraphrasing from my favorite fictional character, Anne of Green Gables).

And I'm thankful for dreams, knowing that one day soon, I'll be able to share my writing with the world, and have the chance to touch and affect change in people's lives for the better because of that.

And, thank you, for reading.