Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

I’ve been reading my friends daily statuses declaring what they’re thankful for – been skirting around the people hovering over the turkeys in the grocery stores, and rolling my eyes at the premature Christmas commercials.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not a Grinch.

I love this time of year – the Season that squeezes out a little extra joy from people.  I don’t even mind the decorations being up early, it’s nice to see festive lights and warm sentiments on a chilly day.

That being said – I’m not really a ‘Thanksgiving Day’ fan.

For a few reasons. One being that I’m from England and didn’t grow up celebrating Thanksgiving.  There is an equivalent in the UK, ‘Harvest  Festival’ – I recall it lasted longer than one day, but the premise of being thankful and contributing food to the community was the same?

I also have a problem with the whole Pilgrim/Indian story angle.   A tale of a peaceful, bountiful meal shared between two blended cultures.  Historically accurate?  Um, no.  Here’s a great article:  What Really Happened at the First Thanksgiving? The Wampanoag Side of the Tale

The Indians – Native Americans – were ultimately wronged.  And you can color that however you want – but I’m not buying it.  Not even if it’s on sale at midnight at one of the greedy chain stores.

Another reason I’m not a huge fan of the fourth Thursday of November … the day after it.

Black Friday is a most obnoxious example of consumerism.  The fact that it comes directly on the heels of the day when people are supposedly thankful for what they have, just makes it even more obnoxious in my book.

The only part of Thanksgiving I can get behind, (other than eating stuffing and brussel sprouts) is the Giving of Thanks.

I’m of the mind that we should be doing this every day – but, the fact that a day is set aside for it is certainly a beautiful thing.

So, with 2013 drawing to a close – I’ll share with you what I am most thankful for this year.

Rainer

When I chose to watch the documentary Hitlers Children on May 25^th – I had no idea what effect it would end up having on my life.

A random selection on a topic I wanted to know more about – turned out not to be so random.  I was learning of Rainer’s existence on the day he came to exist.  His birthday.

As I sat there, crying – completely undone by his need to be a part of some change in the world – to take something horrific and find something good to do with it – I was moved to write my post ‘There is Such Good.’

What happened after that was a chain of events that led to becoming a small part of his big world. 

www.daserbedeskommandanten.com was born and more than that – something very special cemented between us after over a thousand conversations.

There IS such good – and Rainer is good.  Er ist mein Held.

My friends

I have the most amazing friends.  I don’t get to spend much time with them, but it doesn’t seem to matter.  When we are together, it’s as if no time has passed.

From my sweet friend that has the uncanny ability to show up without me having to say ‘I need someone to show up’ – to the friends I work with who make every day magical and my California friends that reach out and keep me laughing via Facebook. 

And then there is my ‘BF’.  The miles that separate my best friend and I are creatively bridged with daily chats – sharing of jokes and photos, quotes and discussions.  I miss her – but we are always connected.  There isn’t a room in my home that doesn’t have a piece of her in it.

When I am going through hard times, or joyous ones – all  of my friends are there for me. And I hope they know, I am always here for them.

I’m so fortunate to have people in my life who love me for who I am, who think differently than me, who are genuine and trustworthy.  For that I am so blessed and very grateful.

This blog

I love to write almost as much as I love to read.

I’ve been able to purge and process major life events here with you.  I am all over the place with this blog, I know, but, there is a common theme.

Life.

Motherhood, daily concerns, stress, happiness, gratitude and venting – all here.  Interviews with amazing people and photographs of things that caught my eye.  All here.  All me.  All shared.

I remember being so nervous about going public – but I had to be brave.  I wrote for a while anonymously, with only a few trusted friends knowing where to find the blog.  Now when I publish a new post – I immediately tell the world.

I really am an open book – I can’t comfortably function in life with secrets.  I can’t comfortably live in my skin without truth.

This blog has been very comforting.

My job

Yes, it’s been a topic I’ve vented about.  But, just work in particular, not my specific job.  I love my job.  The other day when I was walking to the kitchen in my building – I felt … at home.  I love the people I work with.  We are like a family.  And, I am very aware that I am fortunate enough to have a job that makes a positive difference in people’s lives.  I get to be a part of someone obtaining a home.

I am also very grateful for my part-time job – although I complain about that too.  (I really need to stop complaining.)  Again, it isn’t ‘the job’ that I vent about – it’s more so the fact that I have no choice but to do it.

I think I hoped that by 44, my ducks would be in more of a relaxed row – but I still struggle.  Struggle is good – it makes us strong – but I think I’m done doing everything by myself now.  I’m tired and ready for the next chapter in my life.

My son

Oh Nicholas.  The center of my world.  The person that genuinely makes me laugh out loud on a daily basis.  The boy who taught me what true love was and became a man who teaches me more about myself than he knows.  I would lay down and die without hesitation for my boy.

I also choose to live for him.  To be the best person I am capable of being for him. I wanted to give him the world – and this year, I am so grateful that he was able to see some of it!

What started as a hopeful dream – a seemingly unobtainable goal – happened.  It really happened.  Nicholas spent a month and a half in England.  He met family and friends, visited the city I was born and the street where I grew up.

I’m so grateful he was exposed to another culture – to history – to his own heritage.   I hope he looks back on that trip with fondness for the rest of his life – and I pray he adds more adventures  and never stops exploring our beautiful world.

Everything

Truly.  Just … everything.

Everything I have, everything I don’t have.  I am thankful for my family, music, art, dreams, stories, animals. For hope and love and butterflies in my stomach.

Everyday I am thankful for waking up.  For the ability to see colors, hear sounds, smell fragrances – feel, hold, touch and to think (too much <– right Rainy? lol)

I am thankful for diversity, variety and for sameness too – I am thankful for humanity and … I am thankful for you.