I can’t hold you, Thanksgiving is going to look a lot different for me this year. For starters, my love and I decided to stay in Texas for the holiday. And last night, we made the decision to make a reservation instead of making a traditional meal. But, I’m still going to keep that same full-of-gratitude-energy.
I doubt anybody can argue that 2020 has tested us in ways we couldn’t have imagined. I mean, we are still dealing with a global pandemic, which has changed everything. The way we work and the way we live is all so different.
But.
To be alive and in decent health is something I will no longer take for granted. Ever.
What’s more, for most people, this year was proof that there is beauty in our differences. It united us and reinforced that we are much stronger together. This year, we gained more caregivers because that’s what we needed most. And, it redefined what it meant to care for someone.
Personally, that meant friends making me oxtail soup because I was sick in the wake of a deadly virus. Other friends have sent money so that I can donate it to a good cause following the murder of George Floyd. Or a good bottle of wine to help relieve stress when everything was uncertain and exhausting.
Whew.
2020 feels like a year and a half, amiright?
But, I am still filled with gratitude for my health and the health of my loved ones.
I’m filled with gratitude for life. Period.
I’m filled with gratitude for the ability to choose how it looks even if that means driving 1,500 miles to a new state.
I’m filled with gratitude for endless support from my loved ones in every decision my love and I make.
I’m filled with gratitude for the possibility of a new idea of what it means to be Black in this country.
I’m filled with gratitude because there are now more advocates for mental health. As someone who suffers with clinical depression, I appreciate that. So much. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I wrote about my fear of the work from home orders. Then there were endless murders, growing racial tension and job insecurity. It was too much for any one person to handle…alone at that. Like you, I did it because I had to, but you know, it wasn’t easy. It’s still not. Everyone is still recovering and I suspect that it will take time, endless pours of red and a good therapist.
Last but not least, I’m filled with so much gratitude for YOU! You allow me to be myself and to tell my truth even when I’m scared to be vulnerable. And I do it because I know at least one of you can relate and need to hear my story despite my fear. Believe me, it’s not easy exposing your wounds ever and you make my little corner of the internet a no-judgement zone. You don’t know how much that means to me.
So, if I’ve never said it before, I appreciate you for reading, commenting, liking and sharing my blog posts. Truly.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones!
