Thanks and Giving

So it's that time of the year again. You know... the last Thursday of November that we designate as the day of giving thanks. And I don't say that to be facetious (maybe just a little) but to acknowledge that this is the one day out of the year when you really should give thanks, especially if you haven't done so the other 364 days of the year. That's why we eat a lot of food and give thanks...because we're supposed to.

That being said, I have been thinking about everything I am thankful for and I have decided to write it all out here. In no particular order...

1. Family- Through college and now after college, I have gone through several phases with my family, several ups and downs. Today I speak to a family member, whether it be my mom, dad, sister, grandmother, or whomever, almost every single day and I love that. Because at the end of the day, it's about family.

2. Friends- I feel like I've been having lots of conversations lately, and a lot of thoughts, about friendship and what exactly that term means. And I still haven't been able to give it a complete definition, but I know that I have several friends who've proven to be true and honest and all-around wonderful. And I am so grateful to have these people in my life. As I get older, I become more aware of the people who add to your life and those who take away. So it's great to have the real friends around.

3. My Career- Now I'll be the first to say I have NO idea where I'll be in a year's time and no, I do not have a 5 year plan. But I do have drive. And I have ambition. And I have the desire to not live a complacent life because I'm stuck in some random career. I am grateful for the career opportunities I've been given thus far because it's opened doors for me and I will always remember that. I am also grateful that in this economy, I'm doing okay right now (knock on blog). Whatever happens next, I only want to be fortunate enough that it challenges me and helps me to make an impact on this world in whatever way I can.

4. My Life- I think I have lived a great life. I have good family and friends, I have traveled to some of the most amazing places and met some awesome people, and I am healthy. There have been days when I've been extremely low but they've been outnumbered by days I've felt like I'm floating and I can only give thanks that my life is blessed.

5. President-elect Barack Obama- Okay so this definitely needs some explanation. I am certainly grateful for the person but I am moreso grateful for the significance of him being the president-elect. Granted these are tough economic times and sometimes I wonder if he would have won under different circumstances. Even though a recession is never something you want, it worked in Barack's favor that people really did want a change: change from the past 8 years and change from the downward spiraling economy that we currently live in. And President-elect Obama represents the change. So far he is stepping up to the plate and his inauguration is still more than a month away but in times like this, it's what we need. So we'll see what happens but I'm certainly grateful that I have seen such an historical moment in my lifetime and that he has inspired people of all ethnicities, ages and socioeconomic classes. And I'm obviously in love with his family.

6. Chocolate- It's true. I am very thankful for chocolate. When I was younger I used to suffer from migraines (actually I still do) but one doctor said it was because of coca cola and chocolate so I had to stay away from it and I did for a long time but I still got migraines. Turns out coca cola and chocolate weren't the culprits and for that, I am grateful! Chocolate is the best!!! I'm serious.

7. Bacon- Okay, does this even need an explanation? Bacon literally makes everything better. You don't believe me, when you're having a bad day, fry up some bacon. If you want to be healthy, do turkey bacon, but for the full effect, go for the real stuff.

8. My blog!- I think a lot. It's just how it is. Sometimes it's great, sometimes it's not, but this blog helps somewhat because I can spit out a few of the thoughts circling my brain and I can always come back to see what I wrote. It's been almost 3 years since my first entry and I can see my progression via blog entries. So thanks Blogger!

Okay, that's all for now. I'm thankful for more but these were the main ones. Happy Thanksgiving!