Turkey Day

The other day, my friend called me because he was going through a really hard time and needed someone to talk to. After going through the rather long list of things he was upset about, I tried to think of what to say in response. In an effort to be supportive but not dwell on the negative, I made him a list of all of the things I knew of that he had to be thankful for. My list was longer than his :) After he was sufficiently cheered up I decided to let him in on my secret. Everyone goes through hard times and everyone gets sad. Being sad isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if you dwell on it, it can get out of control and spiral into depression. When I get sad, I make a list of all the things I have to be grateful for and it always succeeds in cheering me up.

Throughout the year, people love to complain about the trivial things in life. My feet hurt, I’m tired, my steak wasn’t cooked properly, etcetera, etcetera. However, there is one magical day when we all gather together to eat amazing food and make a list of all the things we are thankful for. Not only is Thanksgiving one of my favorite holidays because of how much I love eating, but it is also one of my favorites because I love sharing with everyone all the things I’m thankful for.

So this year, I propose a new tradition. We can save the turkey and stuffing for the once a year event, but lets take a moment every day to list to ourselves all the things we are grateful for. The world would be a much brighter place if we could do that.

This year, as with every year, I have so much to be thankful for. Although I could write you a 10-page essay on all that I love in life, I know no one will read it. But I’d like to take a moment to list just a few highlights, so here it goes. I have an amazing and supportive family and group of friends, all of whom I adore, respect and admire, each for his or her own special gifts and talents. I have a steady job with enough income to support myself and live comfortably. I have a roof over my head and a wonderful roommate (and a cat… She’s pretty cool too :)). I’m thankful for my health, my happiness and my emotional strength. I’m thankful for food in general, specifically potatoes, cheese, Mexican food, pho, Instant Lunch, soup, salad, pasta, and green beans. I’m thankful for laughter, cameras, music, sunny days, rainy days, the beach and snuggling. I’m thankful for the ability to write as a way to relax and clear my mind. But at the moment, I’m thankful that the turkey is done because now it’s time to eat :) Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Be sure to tell those around you how thankful you are that they are in your life. I’m sure they will return the compliment.

Until next time with more Random Thoughts From The Shower, this is KRS signing off :)