Being thankful

[Craven Morehead]

Maybe an obvious thread for this time of year. But maybe its time to stop and really think about all that each of us have that we are thankful for. Sometimes we can't see the forest for the trees.

The older I get, the more thankful I am for my parents. As a younger person, I did take them for granted. But as time passes I see in myself what they have put in me. I see how their values have shaped mine and I'm thankful for that. I never really fully appreciated them until I myself became a parent. Then it all clicked. I am genuinely grateful for what they have given me and how they have allowed me to grow into the person I am today. Time won't allow me to have my parents for much longer. I will cherish their final days and enjoy their life and share my life with them.

And I am extremely grateful for my own immediate family; my wife and two sons. Having endured over a year of unemployment they provided me with support and encouragement. It was always there, just never as needed as it was during that time.

Thanksgiving comes once a year, ritualistically we say grace and give thanks. But the blessings we receive are there every day. If we only take time to look for them.

What are yours?

[Grasshopper Green]

I'll second you on the parents. My parents aren't perfect, but I know they love me. They are both pushing 60, so hopefully I still have many more years with them.

I am thankful I have a job. I was laid off in August, but I had another job waiting in the wings and I was technically unemployed one day. My current boss is awesome and the work environment is so much better than my previous place of employment.

I am thankful for my extended family. Due to emotional and physical distance, I never had much in the way of relationships with my extended family while I was growing up. Because of some things that happened over the summer, I've gotten a lot closer to several of my family members and they've really been there for me.

Lastly, I'm thankful for my husband. We've been through a lot of shit together and we've come out of it with a much stronger bond than when were first married. He's my rock; he calms me down when I'm freaking about about something, he listens when I need to talk, and he is my best friend.