November 28, 2013

Today, in the US, is Thanksgiving day. It is a day to "give thanks".

As I sit here, at 6:38AM [CT] on this chilly Chicago morning, I listen to the quiet. I went out on my back porch and listened to the leaves rustle in the wind. I watched the tree limbs sway, felt the cool, crisp air on my face and began what I do every morning,  reflect.

Every morning, I take my dog outside, and I have my "quiet reflection time". Today was different, though. My Foxy is in the kennel, so it was just me. I thought about what I needed to get accomplished this morning, and because of todays holiday "theme" I began to think of what it is to truly give thanks.

In my life I have been through a lot. Happiness, success, failure, sickness, the passing of loved ones, the whole gamut of emotions someone can experience. As I sat in the cold air, I realized I am thankful for every single experience I have had. It makes me who I am today.

There are so many times in life that you hear the expression "It could be worse, you could have it much much worse" and while that is very true, I imagine there is someone out there, reflecting just as I am, thinking the same thing as I, who doesn't have a job, who doesn't make the money I make. Who doesn't have the things I have, and yet they are still thankful.

I guess what this all boils down to, is that I am thankful for everything. My family, my dog, my friends, my job, my home, my parents...I'm thankful for life. It has been the greatest teacher I have ever, and will ever have, the hardest punisher, the most entertaining show, and the most love I have ever experienced. I am thankful for every person who has been, and every person who is, a part of my life (even those who have hurt me horribly). I am thankful for music, that which drives me, and makes me feel something, anything. I am thankful for every experience, the good ones and the bad ones.

I am thankful to wake each morning, and experience this thing called "life". Every day is something different, every day is a chance to learn something new, make a new friend, build on who you are as a person, and I look forward to every day that comes my way.

And lastly, and possibly most importantly, I am thankful for you, reading this.

So today, while doing whatever you do, have a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING.