This holiday weekend provides us with a chance to sit and think about that which we are thankful for. It is a time of year in which I feel the most compelled to share my love and appreciation to those who are in my life. There are many people that I am thankful for:
My mom: who is ongoing selflessness and courage continues to impress me. She remains the epitome of strength, determination, motherhood, friendship, and love. She continues to be the angel for my family, even in the face of adversity. She musters up the strength to carry on. She really is amazing and deserves this gratitude the most out of any human I know. I am thankful that she is a guiding light. I am thankful for all the tough life lessons she has shared with me, no matter how much I hated it at the time. I am thankful for her honesty. I am thankful for her ability to "let it be" so that I could learn on my own. I am thankful for her listening ear. I am thankful for her companionship. I am thankful that she takes on the "thankless" jobs. I am thankful that she is my mom and not someone elses. I am thankful for her love.
My sister: who despite circumstances that are beyond her control or liking, continues to demonstrate perseverance for the greater cause. She continues to show the world her smile even though times are hard. I am thankful for her cheer. I am thankful for her contagious smile that can make me feel better with just one look. I am thankful for Giggle Fits. I am thankful for her love of life. I am thankful for her ability to confront me when I am wrong, and to do so with couth and love. I am thankful that she is my twin in so many ways and yet different enough to drive me insane. I am thankful for her love. I am thankful that I can call her "sister"
My cousin, Lisa: who has been my guardian angel and shouldered devil all at the same time. I recall younger years when she and I weren't close. I recall feeling disconnected to her but as she matured into a woman our relationship changed. I saw her in a different light. I learned about her. I saw the Shadow that had followed her and her hatred of it. I saw her choice to move beyond that Shadow, even though it still lingers. I learned about her willingness and desire to not be held down by the standards that was she held to. I constantly see her battle with her own demons and the demons of a larger society. I remain amazed at how amazingly she pushes through. She is an inspiration. I am thankful for her insight as it has saved my life time and time again. I am thankful for her wit and charm as it has reminded me of my own. I am thankful for her maturity in other realms of life, as she has remained my closest confidant, tutor, and friend. I am thankful that she understands me, almost better than I understand myself. I am thankful that she mirrors me in so many ways.
My grandparents: who's unending, unconditional love have been a force to combat even the most negative of life experiences. I remember that some of my most cherished memories were spent at their home: every weekend from the time I was 6 until I was 13, where I learned about responsibilities, boundaries, God, and life, Easter Basket hunting, Swimming with loved ones, sleeping in front of Fans during Summer. All Great memories. I see in my grandparents 58 years of Love and Commitment. I am thankful that they can be a model for me. I am thankful for their generosity, as it has kept my family alive and in a home most of my life. I am thankful for their brutal honesty. I am thankful that their love as it continues to get me through the day. I am thankful that they are healthy enough to have seen me grow up, graduate from colleges, and to witness my adult life beginning. I am thankful that they love their family as deeply as they do.
My cousin, Roxanne: who's re-integration into my life has opened up numerous doors for Spiritual and Universal growth. She has opened my eyes to various aspects of life, aspects that I had long buried and forgotten about. She helped unearth my desires, my longings, and truths. She assisted in my redefinition of the "Self" in which I am constantly changing. I am thankful for her knowledge. I am thankful for her insight. I am thankful for her unique perspective on the struggles I go through. I am thankful for her listening ear, open heart, and healing words, as they have sometimes been the only thing that has kept me hanging on during turbulent times. She remains my Mustang Spirit, my Healing Shaman, my purveyor of knowledge, my Light in the Tunnel.
My stepson: who's uncanny strength in extreme situations is beyond admirable. His life is surrounded with constant challenges, some real and some created unnecessarily for him. I am blown away at how he works through hate to come to a place of love. He disappears for a moment or more but always manages to hang on the the life preserver. He has taught me a lot about love, hate, anger, loss, sadness, frustration, helplessness and confusion. He is my inspiration and driving force. He is my motivator to change that which needs changing. I am thankful for every opportunity that we have together. I am thankful for a boy who loves his daddy even though he is told not to. I am thankful that he loves me even though he's told not to. I am thankful that he remembers the depths of our love. I am thankful for his genuine laugh that lifts my spirits to newer heights each time. I am thankful for his company as there is hardly ever a dull moment. I am thankful for his humor as he sees and experiences life in a different way than most of us. I am thankful for every kiss and every hug. I am thankful for the simple signs of love and the great verbalization's of "I love you."
My husband: who is my world. I cannot say enough about this man. I remember the first time I met him. I remember the first conversation we shared. I remember hearing about his past, his unfortunate luck in relationships, and deep love for his family and children. I remember feeling love for him. He is all my reason to stay motivated. If his son is my motivational fire, my husband is the furnace that keeps the motivation moving strong. I see and live everyday with his struggles. I see him battle and battle and lament over circumstances that are far beyond his control. I see and hear his pain when he become a victim time and time again to words of hate spurned from a black soul. I witness his frustration and let down by a system that is corrupt, overburdened, and in need of overhaul. His patience, love, courage, and bravery never cease to amaze me. I am thankful for his love. I am thankful for having learned more about love through his eyes. I am thankful for his tenacity that often times gets him no where. I am thankful for his endearing love. I am thankful for his kindness. I am thankful for his gifts and knowledge. I am thankful for all that he is. I am thankful for being the recipient of his love. I am thankful that he selected me from all of the fish in the sea.
I suppose gratitude and being thankful are things that are often forgotten about in our hectic society. Too often we breeze through life not actually realizing how we are living in it. I think about the countless number of times I've opened doors for people and not once heard a thank you. I think of times I have seen others do the same thing. I think about times that customers of my husband's never say thank you for the hours of work he has done to remedy their car problems. I think about parents who are rarely thanked by their children, who for some reason or another believe they are entitled to the things they get. I know we also forget to thank ourselves for all the hard work we do: with our jobs, with our families, with our children, for ourselves. So thank you. Nothing more. Nothing less. Just a genuine, heart felt "Thank you"
What would the world be like if we all slowed down, showed appreciation and gratitude for our fellow Man, and genuinely loved from the heart. Now that is a thought worth being Thankful for.
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