well, in honor of Thanksgiving, and because I don't really have anything better to talk about, I figured I'd sort of perfunctorily list the things I am thankful for this year.
This past year has actually been a very good year for me, despite living at home in Spartanburg. I have great friends, wonderful support from my parents and a job that I actually really, really enjoy. So I guess you could say I am thankful for all those things, primarily.
I am also extremely thankful this year for my dad's health. Last Spring while in New Orleans, my dad had a stroke, or what they believed was one at the time. He was at the bar and began slurring his speech and feeling lightheaded. Once he was rushed to the hospital at Tulane, he was set on a gurney in the hallway and then basically ignored until Alison took control and made some nurses very aware they needed to pay attention. Turns out, it was a reaction to medication he was taking, but had Alison not reacted quickly, my dad could have suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen. I cannot imagine my life without my dad, and I am extremely thankful that he is alive and well today!
I am very thankful for my extremely supportive friends. If the past year has taught me anything, it's the importance of people in one's life that truly matter. I have always assumed that friendship was better measured in quantity, but have recently realized that that mentality is for the insecure. Friendship is most assuredly measured in quality, and I could not be more thankful for the friends that I have. I believe the "quality" of my friends is one that is very rarely obtained and I am so fortunate to have them. My life would surely be different without a select few people.
Thanksgiving is a holiday that has somewhat been swept under the rug over the last decade or so. As Christmas carries much more grandeur, we began celebrating it as soon as Halloween is over; yet, Christmas is so much of a selfish holiday, that I believe Thanksgiving should not be forgotten because it is the one time of year where everyone remembers what they have been blessed with. I have many things to be thankful for, but mostly I am thankful to just be here, celebrating another Thanksgiving.
