It's the Monday after Thanksgiving. There's leftover turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. There's grumbles about going to work after a long weekend. There's the countdowns 'til the December holidays.
So quickly we forget. Just last Thursday was Thanksgiving. Remember? That day, where we are reminded to be thankful for all that we have, opportunities we are given, and good fortune for the future.
Unfortunately, sometimes it ends there. One day that we are thankful for everything. The day before and the day after, it is often forgotten. People may sit around the dinner table talking of thanks for this or that. Some people on Facebook are doing a whole month of thanks spanning through November. That idea has merit. But, at least for me, there's always something to be thankful for, every month, every day, not just November, or Thanksgiving.
Although sometimes I joke, I know I am a very lucky girl. I have a roof over my head, heat to take the chill off from the blistery winds, food to eat, and endless material items that I have accumulated throughout the years. I have a job that I enjoy, fun co-workers, and motivation to continue serving our students. I have a large extended family that would bend over backwards for me (and have done so on many occasion). I have a second family I'm still learning to love. Then there's my husband that shows his love through breakfasts in bed and grilled cheese and tomato soup, among other sweet nothings. The newest addition, Rosie, the adopted shelter dog, constantly reminds me how much she is thankful for through sloppy kisses, wags of her tail, and sometimes sitting on my lap.
The things I'm thankful for daily sometimes go unnoticed, unacknowledged, and unthanked. Unthanked? Sure, that's a word, because that's what they are. Thanksgiving reminds us to be thankful. We (myself included) need to remember that the actual Thursday in November should be just another thankful day. A holiday to surround ourselves with friends, families, and laughter. But all the other days? Sometimes it's not feasible to be around the ones we love on a daily basis. But they're still there, no matter the miles that separate us. That's where the thanks comes in. I'm working on it... I'm working on being thankful for what I have. Every day. Not just when the holiday suggests it.
