Okay so enough about food, believe it or not, that isn’t what Thanksgiving is all about. I am going to say something that not many people know about me… I am not a fan of holidays. I will elaborate. The best part about Thanksgiving used to be going to Grandma’s a few days early to decorate the house, set the table, and help her cook. It was walking into the house and the first thing you saw was Grandma looking super festive, with open arms waiting to tell you “Happy Thanksgiving, I love you” and then give you a kiss on the cheek. Christmas Eve was going over to Grandma’s and having wonderful conversation, eating her soup, and calling the Santa Hotline to see where he was. It was coming over the morning of Christmas, to jokes, happiness, and good times.
Now don’t get me wrong, I am SO thankful that I get to share these new memories with my Grandfather, he does his very best to make everyone feel comfortable, happy, and cheerful… but things are just not the same and that it was gets to me. I still have not gotten over the fact that she is gone, I suppose that is why I am stuck in the past reminiscing on these wonderful memories and not paying attention to the beautiful new memories that I am making.
So this year I want to change that. I am challenging myself and challenging everyone reading this to write 25 things they are thankful for… AND WHY. It isn’t enough just to say you are thankful for something; I want to know why you are thankful as well.
25 Things I am thankful for and why:
1. I am thankful for my entire family because I know that they will always be there for me and they support me through everything.
2. I am thankful for my best friend, Rachel, because she has shown me that your ‘blood’ relatives are not your only family. Family can be unrelated to you as well, family is a person who cherishes you, respects you, and is always there for you no matter the circumstance.
3. I am thankful for my two jobs because I am able to make money as well as learn vital life lessons at such a young age.
4. I am thankful for my first ever boss Dave, because he has taught me more than any boss ever will. He has taken me in and treated me as his own daughter, which is something that not many people can say.
5. I am thankful for the opportunity to go to college because not everyone gets this opportunity. I currently have an Associate’s Degree and I am working on my Bachelor’s right now, so I can move on and work on my Masters.
6. I am thankful for my Grandfather because he has shown the world just how strong we humans are. He has completely taken on the role of 2 grandparents and he has done a fantastic job, I couldn’t ask for more from him.
7. I am thankful for Zeus and Bubba because they have shown me unconditional love and they have also shown me how to love others.
8. I am thankful for the house that I live in because not everyone has a house. I have lived in the same house for basically my entire life, there are so many memories in this house and I am thankful to have this wonderful place to come home to.
9. I am thankful for the amazing car that I drive, it was my first ‘big girl’ purchase and it has been so good to me.
10. I am thankful for my health because I have worked hard to be healthy and in return I am a very healthy 21-year-old woman.
11. I am thankful for my body because it does so many amazing things for me. I may not treat it is the best at times, but that should change because my body has been so good to me.
12. I am thankful for my hardheaded personality because I always put up a fight until I get what I want. I have persistence and drive and those characteristics will definitely help me in the long run.
13. I am thankful for the bed I sleep in every night because it helps me wake up feeling recharged and ready to take on the next day.
14. I am thankful for the food I eat because I have the opportunity to fuel my body with just about anything I could imagine.
15.I am thankful for my will to help people because I feel that being able to put others before yourself is a special trait to have.
16. I am thankful for my ability to write because I hope that I will be able to help people with this ability one day.
17. I am thankful for my drive to be very tidy and organized because being organized physically helps me become more organized mentally as well.
18. I am thankful for the area I live in because I get to experience all 4 seasons, I am 30 minutes away from the Nation’s capital, 3 hours away from the beach, and there is so much history in my state.
19. I am thankful for my muscles because they keep up with me when I am breaking them down constantly.
20. I am thankful for our troops because they put their lives on the line so I can live my life.
21. I am thankful for Jensy Scarola because she has shown me with drive, effort, and commitment, you can become absolutely anything you want. I am also thankful for her because she brought Lindsay and Jillian into this world. Jens, your girls have taught me so much about life, and they are 8 and 10 years old. You were blessed with little angels, and I was blessed to be able to be apart of their lives.
22. I am thankful for my faith because my belief and trust in God gives me strength. I wish I would have found my faith sooner in life, but better late than never.
23. I am thankful for my heart because it continues to beat for me even when I make mistakes. That’s why I run, to keep my heart healthy so I will continue to have my back.
24. I am thankful for my sense of positivity because I am able to find the light in the darkest of situations.
25. I am thankful for my Grandmother because she has shown me how strong I truly am. She has shown me that no matter what, you push forward and you help others. She has shown me that there is no challenge that I cannot take on. I will continue to push forward and make her proud every single day, as well as keep the #1 KU fan legacy going. Rock Chalk.
What are you thankful for?