Thanksgiving (2014)

Another Thanksgiving has come to the mountain, which means it's time to reflect on those things in life for which we are thankful. This is a wholesome exercise for any day I think, but Thanksgiving in particular provides a useful opportunity to spell them out, and remind ourselves of how awesome our lives are most of the time.

This past year has been a very interesting one for me, full of adventure and challenges; high points and low. Some days have been really great, and some days I would rather forget. In the end though, I'm grateful for all of them.

I'm grateful for my family and friends, especially those who helped me through the lower moments of the past year. I'm also thankful for my friends abroad, including those who shared their homes and lives with me this past summer. Going overseas on my own was a big step for me, and I hope some day I'll get to do it again. Living abroad--even for the short time I was there--was uncomfortable in many ways, but I feel as though I learned a great deal from the experience, met some pretty neat people, and came back a little more resilient and experienced than I was before. 

And the more resilient and experienced I become, the happier I find myself to be. So thanks, tak, and happy Thanksgiving.

I'm also grateful for my new job, and my colleagues, and all the new challenges that have come with it. I would have never guessed five years ago that I would ever work in the plumbing industry, but that is the way things work out sometimes. As it is, I'm looking forward to the challenge of educating myself about the field, and doing my best for those who have been so generous to me.

The same could be said with regards to my coaching job, which started this year in the form of  a local CYO cross country team. I had never coached a team before, and no doubt my lack of experience showed at times. Still, I am thankful for having had the opportunity to try my hand at the craft, and by practice and study come to a fuller understanding of the art. Perhaps in the year to come we shall have other opportunities to learn still more!

In the end, I suppose I am most thankful for the tools, experiences, and relationships that have made my life what it is today. Good health is a big one, as are adventures outside of my comfort-zone. Novel perspectives are similarly a great boon, as are relationships that nourish us in good times, and keep us afloat in bad ones. 

I don't know what next year will bring, but in the end I hope I can come back next Thanksgiving and say, that while we had some rocky times, there remains so much to be thankful for. 

So in the coming year, let us endeavor to look on the bright-side of things; to forgive ourselves and others; to make of each day a fresh start; to plant seeds for the future; and to look upon with gratitude all that comes our way. 

Happy Thanksgiving, friends :)

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson