What I'm Thankful For

Man, I thought I was going to be all original with this, but it seems like several of you have beat me to the punch. And I think we're all thankful for similar things, but that's okay. Great minds think alike. I'll share my list with you.

1) Your condolences. That was really nice, guys. Thank you. Even though I've never met any of you in real life, you did make things easier. There really is a lot to be thankful for, because at least my dad got to see my grandpa before he passed away. So I'm thankful for non-delayed airplanes and the financial ability to get to China in 20 hours!

2) My family. Most of my big, gigantic family is always overseas, so I don't ever get to spend Thanksgiving with them, but at least I have a big, gigantic family somewhere. And I love being able to come home from college--I'm only about 50 minutes away by car. Very close. Much more fortunate than the 'burb kids from Chicago. My family feeds me, does my laundry, doesn't make me do chores when I get back, and always loves me!

3) Friends. I am grateful and happy to have people who care about me, find me mildly entertaining to be with enough that they continue to spend time with me, make me laugh at the best and worst of times, and make life richer and well-worth enjoying. I hope I can be a better friend to them too.

4) Food. You know that food was going to be highly ranked on my list. Thanksgiving is way up there with Christmas, because of turkey! and cranberry sauce! and mashed potatoes! And of course, a variety of non-traditional food, like dumplings and various Chinese dishes that are delicious year-round. There are two kinds of people in the world: ones who treat meals as something to get past in the day, and those who thoroughly look forward to eating as an activity. And I fall solidly into the second camp.

5) Writing. This has been a great year for me, and I am so thankful for it. Thankful for my God-given passion for this art and thankful that I've had lots of experiences (and improvement!) along the way. I love writing, and I hope I get to do it for the rest of my life. This is what I really want to do.

6) You! So predictable, but hey. I AM thankful for you. I started this blog in February in an attempt to motivate me to write, and it has become so much more than that. I love reading about other people's lives (because I am a stalker, but you know that already). I am so thankful that you find me worthwhile enough to read sometimes, the crazy wacky things that come out of my mouth (and fingers). This is pretty much how I behave in real life. So thank you, if you've ever left a comment or ever even dropped by and not said anything. This blog (and therefore YOU) has kept me going all of these months in writing, kept me accountable for continuing to write, and helped me find a better voice.

Even though I don't remember to be thankful year-round, at least we have this great American holiday to help us one week of the year. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with laughter and food and family.