I've been thinking a lot lately about a girl that I see around when I go to school. She's homeless and pregnant and can usually be found panhandling around campus. Every time I see her, I flash back to my own pregnancies. I think about the massive amounts of food I ate, the prenatal vitamins and Dr.'s appointments I had consistent access to, and how I was constantly encouraged by family and strangers alike to sit down and rest. Mostly, I think about how I took each and every one of those things for granted. I think about how difficult, scary, and uncertain the world must feel for someone who is pregnant and homeless. My heart breaks over and over for her.
The thing is, optimism doesn't come naturally to me. I wish that it did, but the truth is that when things are hard or going wrong in my life, I tend to wallow for awhile before I'm able to see the silver lining. But this time of the year is the exception to my nay-saying tendencies, a time when I fully realize how pointless pessimism is and lucky I truly am.
When I sat down to write about what I was thankful for today, I found myself overwhelmed by the abundance of blessings in my life. I'm married to my best friend, the person who makes me laugh the hardest and lets me be myself more than anyone else, even when being myself means being a giant pain in the ass. Raising kids is the hardest job in the world, but our two healthy, brilliant, beautiful children are a constant source of joy (and a day-to-day learning experience) in my life. I have faith. I have the opportunity to go back to school. I have the love and support of people who understand me. I never feel alone or misunderstood. What more could one person possibly ask for?
One of my all-time favorite movies is "It's A Wonderful Life". I know it's a Christmas movie and not really about Thanksgiving at all, but oddly appropriate for today. My life isn't perfect, far from it. But like George Bailey, while I may not be monetarily rich, I am the richest person in town. And for that, I am eternally grateful. And eternally thankful.
Happy Thanksgiving, Friends.
