Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Giving Thanks For All My Blessings:Thanksgiving 2012

     This year is quickly winding down and changing into history.  There has been so much change in the past few years that I wonder what else is ahead of me.  I am about to wind up my first semester in college; now that's a statement that I would have never been able to say 5 years ago...in fact it's pretty safe to say that I wouldn't have even written my first blog post!   But that was then, and of course the world changed and I changed even faster.

     My friends and Facebook acquaintances have been counting down to Turkey Day by posting one thing that they are thankful for.  I think that is a lovely sentiment.  I thought about doing this but I just haven't been in the same frame of mind as they have.  With all I have to say grace over, and how grateful I am, I needed to fix that.   But I am very thankful, nonetheless,so tonight at 1am I decided to post what I've come to see as blessings to cherish and realize just how damned lucky I really am.  There are so many people out there that aren't even close to being as happy and content as I am.  I've seen them and read their posts on the Web, I've spied them out and about, I've sat next to them in class... the world is full of people who don't, or can't realize just how amazing life is.  How abundant the joy of life is available to us if we just allow it to come into our hearts, and express it in the way we interact with others.  The Holiday Season is supposed to be full of joy; it's a shame that many people don't feel it.  But why it's this way... well that's a mouthful, but seeing as this has been my least favorite time of year for most of my life, I can field a few thoughts on the subject.  Listen up, because I think this is pretty important stuff, I don't want you to miss this!

      First of all, you have to decide to be happy.  It's a choice.  And sometimes.... it's damned hard to make that choice. Sometimes you have to take your life and shake the shit out of it, tear it all down and rebuild.  Sometimes you have to get rid of EVERYTHING and EVERYONE that is keeping you from finding your happiness.  Or maybe you just need to surround yourself with positive people, wherever they may be.  The world doesn't owe you anything, but you determine your own worth. And I've found out that we all are priceless, valuable and original creations, worthy of happiness and love. You'd be amazed at what's around, once you stop feeling so bad about yourself. And yes, I do get low sometimes and forget this.  It's way easy to do, especially when no one's looking(or so you think, anyway.)  But what does this have to do with being thankful and grateful, even when you don't feel the spirit of the season?  Well the first step is to being happy with yourself.  You are NOT as bad as you seem, and things can always be worse.  So today I am going to give thanks, because I am not as bad as I seem, and things can always be worse.  That simple act of gratitude for having the best life I can have at the moment never fails to make my frown turn upside down.  

     Second, and this is pretty important; in fact RuPaul says it every stinkin' week(for those who DON'T watch RuPauls' Drag Race, get to watching!).  "If you can't love yourself, how in the HELL you gonna love somebody else?"  That's pretty self explanatory, but I would add this:  You are the only YOU that exists.. therefore you deserve all the love you can give you. If you want someone to love you, then let it start with the person in the mirror brushing your teeth in the morning.. I mean, does anybody else do that for you??? That's love honey... I've been married now for almost two years, and Michael hasn't done that for me(although he would if I couldn't I'm sure.. or at least drop some Polident in the bucket for the dentures).  Seriously.  Love is gained or lost simply because you stopped loving the most important person in your life.  Take care of him(or her).  But if you are reading this, you probably already have more people loving you than not, so remember to give Thanks for those people.. they make it easier to love you.  God knows I need them to remind me sometimes what I sometimes forget to remember about love.

     And lastly, Giving thanks isn't something that should be reserved on a date on a calendar.  If you wait 'til the fourth Thursday of November each year to say thanks and express your gratitude, you are really screwing up!   I'm grateful that this Nov. 6th the President was re-elected. I'm grateful that my birthday came around again.  I'm grateful for my loving husband, who is(despite my statements to the contrary) extremely patient and kind.  He's given me the world I didn't even know I could have.  I'm grateful to be going to college! I'm grateful that I have all that I have.  I'm grateful for all that I am(and all that I'm not, apparently..) and even better, I'm grateful for all that I will become in the months and years ahead.  I could write reams and reams of what there is to give thanks for, but for all that I've been blessed with, surely more than I deserve, I have to give Thanks.  It's the least I could do.  

     So with today being Thanksgiving, when you read this do the following:

     Give thanks to those that love you. They are your fuel.
     Give thanks to those that don't.  They are your motivators.
     Give thanks for your friends.  As Michael tells me, they are gifts you give yourself.
     Give thanks that you have what you have.  Some(in fact, many) have far    
     less and they are thankful for what they have.  Follow their lead.
     Love yourself.  Give yourself some credit. It gets better, even when it's 
     hard to see right now.
     God is real... so give Thanks to Him, in whatever way you think is best.
     Give thanks for all that is behind you, it paved the way for what now is   
     ahead.
     But MOST of all... Give thanks that this blog post is OVER! One can get 
     too carried away.  Now go eat that damned turkey!

     Thank you for reading this, for all the love and friendship.  Love to all.  
         Noah