Giving Thanks

When I first laid down to take a nap this afternoon, my head hit the pillow and I thought about how I should write a blog entry when I woke up. The reason for the nap was because I was grouchy, depressed, and feeling sorry for myself. The reason for the blog would have been another woe is me rant about how everyone around me seems to be married with children or taking the steps to do so and here I am constantly wondering the status of my crazy love life. I'm glad I slept it off. When I woke up, the virtuous voice inside my head told me I need to be thankful for what I have, not envious of what I don't.

I like when that voice pops up — she's always right. I need to remind myself that dwelling on things that are out of my control is a waste of energy. Feeling sorry for myself is not attractive nor productive. The thing is to remain humble and thankful for all of the wonderful things and people in my life and proud of the many things I have accomplished. It is often hard to remind myself that may people would be envious of what I have. It's time to count my blessings.

Ironically this comes the week before Thanksgiving. My list of things to be thankful for:

1. The roof over my head. I may need to seal the windows in plastic to keep the heat in, or deodorize the cat smell in the basement, or unclog old pipes, but this house is a home. Not everyone can own a house and although it is far from the perfect dream house, it's all mine and mine alone.

2. My job. Yeah everyone complains about their job at some point. Sure I'd love to be making more money, but overall, I have a pretty damn good job. I have creative freedom and the ability to involve others who mean something to me. And come on, working from home is pretty amazing. I know people are jealous of that. I get to be with my dog all day, eat when I want to with whoever I want to, run errands at whatever time of the day, and most importantly, create when the mood hits me. For the most part I work on my schedule and that's a great feeling. I am certainly fortunate.

3. My dog. It's common knowledge that my dog is the love of my life. I am grateful that she is healthy and a loving companion. There are many nights I am certain I wouldn't have gotten through as easily without her to snuggle next to.

4. My friends. Sometimes they know me better than I know myself and their constant concern for my happiness and well-being shows me how much I am loved. We dance; we sing at the top of our lungs; we sometimes have too much to drink; we discover things together and appreciate beauty; we watch each other grow and learn and we are there for each other all the way. My friends are what keep me sane. I would be lost without them.

5. Jujitsu. I have always said jujitsu is the only thing that is constant in my life. I know it will always be there in one form or another. I have a hard time believing I have been at it for seven years. It has been an amazing journey and has taught me more life lessons in handling situations and living life than anything else.

6. My mother. Obviously I am thankful for my entire family for different reasons at different times, but having my mother to talk, depend on, and most importantly to be my friend, means the world. Some people no longer have their mother in their life and it saddens me. So I suppose I saved the most important for last. She is kind and giving and worries about her kids way too much. Her love for others is really something to be admired. I am fortunate to have her so close to me and such a big part of my life.