What are you thankful for?

In the last week or so, I have heard multiple times that people want to skip Thanksgiving for it is a useless holiday. I want to skip it as well but for totally different reasons. So what is the point in Thanksgiving? Isn't it to take a minute and think what it is that you are thankful for in life? I write this, a few days early for my week is sure to be chaotic and busy and a tad more emotional than I care to deal with.

I am thankful to have a family who is there for me no matter what, who support me no matter what I do, and put up with me even if they disagree with my choices. They accept me as who I am, and they will like me when I do something that hurts them. My family is not limited to blood, friends and people I have claimed along the way count as well. Blood does by no means get you inducted into this inclusive chapter of my life.

I am thankful that I live in a free country, and I am free to mess up and learn from my mistakes. I am thankful that people defend my right to do so, and I am very very thankful that those who I would be lost without are safe.

Thanksgiving doesn't come with presents nor music, but it does come with a sense of belonging, which is much more important. It comes with the satisfaction of knowing you are loved and will be loved, and that there is good in the world no matter how messed up the "world" you are currently in is.

I am thankful for every person I have ever got to know in my life, for they showed me the good the bad and the ugly, I am thankful for everyone who trusted me enough to let them into their life, so I could share a part of myself with them in return. I am thankful I have gotten hurt, I am thankful I have hurt others for this all made me the strong independent woman I am today. I am also glad for every person who has shown me the not so nice side of themselves, for my opinions have been molded by both good and bad experiences. I have had people bring out sides of me I have never knew I had, and I have had people manipulate me to their liking, in the end every bit of this made me who I am today.  I am not proud of everything I have done, I certainly am not proud of everything I say, but I am who I am, and I wouldn't be if it wasn't for every person who has came in and out of my life.

I am thankful my dearest showed me I could trust him again, I am thankful he needs me right now. I am thankful he trusts me. I am thankful that I got to help bring out this new perspective on life.

I am thankful that my friends do not hesitate to come to me when the world seems to be failing them, and nothing seems to go right. I am positive I have saved some of them from dropping off the deep end of life, and the world would not be the same without them. I am also thankful I seen these experiences from their eyes because I am pretty sure that is one of the things that has kept me from entering that "too far gone to turn back" mindset.

Thanksgiving isn't about eating all the food you can to get fat, I love home cooked meals more than anything, but that isn't the case. It is about being thankful for that in which you do have, not worrying about what you don't or what you cannot change. I want to skip Thanksgiving in a way because it is impossible to spend it with those who mean the world to me, but I will certainly make the point to be thankful that they are in my life, and that they are safe.

I don't want anything for Christmas, I just want to spend time with all of those who mean so much to me personally.