Give Thanks

When Halloween ends and Christmas hasn’t started yet, what comes to mind? For some it is Mariah Carey thawing out before the radio stations decide there is only one Christmas song to play. For others it is the fact that Winter will be starting soon, which means get ready for cabin trips, skis, hot chocolate, hot toddies, coats, and cuddling. But for so many, we think of that Holiday that falls in between the aforementioned two, full of food, family, football, and warmth. Yes I am talking about Thanksgiving, which just so happens to be today. The irony of this Holiday is that even though it is supposed to be centered around thanks, many people struggle to enjoy this day due to issues with body image, family, loneliness, or whatever else life tends to throw at us. Today I am choosing to focus, not on the hardships of this day for me, but what I am thankful for. I hope this brings some joy to anyone who reads it.

Today is a day that is very food-centric and for so many people this is a wonderful thing. From Turkey to ham, mac and cheese to stuffing, yams to greens, biscuits to rolls, we all have a favorite dish somewhere. I certainly have my favorites but with this comes a struggle of body image. Today, while I acknowledge it can be hard to not have the traditional meal, or that losing weight is challenging around this time, I choose to be thankful for my body and health. In a world that is hell bent on making people who do not look like the “norm” feel horrible about themselves, I am thankful for my body that supports me every day. I am thankful that on my constant journey to lose weight, be healthy, and look better in clothes, my body is able enough to allow me to do the necessary things to reach my goals. I am thankful for my height which allows me to reach anything I need to. I am thankful for the warmth this body provides me in unfavorable temperatures. I am thankful to have all of my senses operating as they should. I do not believe it should be taken lightly that many of us are blessed enough to see, hear, feel, smell, and so much more with our bodies. Even if we feel pain, the blessing is that we can feel it. Even if I see horrible images online or on the news, I am blessed to have eyes that allow me to take in these images and a brain that allows me to process them. This body is the only one I have and I am thankful for it, regardless of the size, rolls, bald head, or whatever else I possess. Thank you.

Aside from food, the biggest part of this Holiday is being able to spend time with loved ones. This makes today especially hard for many. I know for myself, it is not easy to have to go through family oriented Holidays having lost my mom, dad, and to not be close with my siblings. Even with that, the thing I am most thankful for today are the memories I have made with so many people. While physical bodies fade, friendships move in different directions, close friends become strangers, I am thankful to have the memories I have made with so many to lean on. There are people who I have been extremely close with in the past who I may not speak to as much due to life just taking us in different directions. Instead of focusing on the sadness that can come with that, today I focus on the beauty of the memories I have to get me through. Memories, while notoriously faulty in humans, can allow us to remember people in the way you want to. I am blessed and thankful to remember all the car rides and sing-a-longs I had with my mom. I am thankful to be able to remember that version of her. I may not see my closest friends as much as we live in different cities, but I am thankful to be able to remember the fun nights out, the laughs we shared, the times we were there for each other, the life milestones like graduations, having children, and all the wonderful things we have been fortunate enough to be present for with each other. I am thankful for the memories I am able to create now. I have been able to experience so many things in the last couple years, from traveling, being a groomsman twice, being in a relationship, meeting new people, and excelling at work. When I see how memories can become lost in people like Bruce Willis, or even wonderfully sweet nonagenarians I have been blessed to meet and leave a mark on, it makes me so thankful for a brain that remembers so many things and is still able to create new memories. Thank you.

At this point in this post, I want to adopt a list of sorts where I can rattle off some of the wonderful things I am thankful for, in no particular order of course.

• I am thankful for my beautiful girlfriend Travisa. It is not always easy to find someone who loves you and cares about you for you but I am thankful that I have found, bonded with, and continue to bond with someone who does. I am thankful that her family likes me. I am thankful that her friends like and accept me. I am thankful that she allowed me to be beside her in her times of loss, as well as her being next to me in my times of loss. These are not things I take lightly. Thank you.
• I am thankful for some friendships which have strengthened in the last few years. I have a newly beautiful niece who was born. For so long growing up, me and Keisha butted heads and I used to say she wasn’t my sister. But that is no where near my view now. My mom took her in, we shared a couch, we went through highs and lows together, and I am thankful for the sister I have, not through blood, but through choice. I also love my little niece. Sorry to all you people who don’t know what she looks like. Thank you.
• I am thankful for the family I have who is genuinely in my corner. We do not get to choose family but we do get to choose who we show up for. This year my family suffered a tough loss with Uncle Allen but I am thankful for those who keep me in the know, allow me to show up and pay my respects, and who check in on me with no desire to get anything back in return. I am thankful for being able to see two of my wonderful younger cousins get married this year. From the Dominican Republic to waterside in Richmond, it makes me so proud to see Tamara and Tyler, respectively, find love and celebrate it through this union of marriage. I am thankful to be in their lives and them in mine. Thank you.
• I am thankful to be gainfully employed and doing well at my job. This economy is rough and many people have not been so fortunate to have steady employment. I am thankful that my job allows me to do things fun like travel, purchase things I want, treat my girlfriend to whatever she deserves, help friends who may need it, and have a roof over my head. I know all too well, from experience, how it feels to be broke, struggle, and not know where money may be coming from so I choose to be thankful for all that I have now. Young me would not believe the position current me is in and that is worth more than almost anything money can buy. Thank you.

I do not want to drag this on and I feel that I have expressed a lot of the things I am thankful for. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how I am thankful for everyone who reads these posts. From the people who ask when my next blog is coming, to the random comments praising my works. I am just so full of thanks on what is normally a difficult day for someone in my position. I also want to do something different and I ask everyone who reads this to please comment with what you are thankful for. Thank you.