Thanksgiving has long been my favorite holiday in the year.
Christmas, while full of gifts, has become way too commercial for my tastes, since we’re all encouraged to dig ourselves deep into debt to guess at buying stuff for people we love, with the goal of giving the ones we love the most (i.e. if I love you, I spend more money on you). The new year also makes me think like Thanksgiving does, but I primarily tend to focus on the year past, rather than the year ahead.
So, it is without further delay that I write what I am thankful for this year:
First, and foremost, I’m thankful to my family (immediate and extended, and adopted family members included – uncle Liam) for always being there. Is there any other reason to live, besides living for family? They are too numerous to mention individually here, but I especially want to call out to my mom and dad and say “thank you” for letting me be me. I know that many times we do see eye-to-eye on politics and the world, but even on those occasions when we don’t, you let me go and do my thing.
I’m thankful to have a job that pays relatively well, and is rather secure given the current economic environment. I’m happy to be one of the 85% of employable Americans who have a job with good benefits that allows me to continue my education. I wish the economic stimulus packages first suggested by president Bush, pushed by president Obama, and approved by the Congress would have done more; however, I suspect that when we look back on this period we will find that the deep economic hole in which the country found itself will prove to have been much deeper than originally analyzed to be.
Thank YOU for being you. While it may seem tautological for me to say so, without you, there is no me. It’s only through our relationships that we become “us”.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
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