Thanksgiving has come and gone again and as many of us figure out what our next holiday plans are, or what we are doing for the long weekend, we forget about those less fortunate and who may be pondering if they will even have a hot meal. I have always thought of myself as a lucky girl, but as time passes, I find myself being more and more grateful of my life and the parts that make up who I am. Okay, I don’t want to make this too mushy or start crying writing this (I cry a lot more easily than I used to; I cried twice watching Oprah’s Favorite Things the other night!) but I do want to dedicate a post to ten things that I am thankful of in my life.
1) My Health: My dad always told me, “if you have your health, you have everything,” which is completely true. I am amazed when I go to the doctors and have to fill out new paperwork sometimes because there are usually at least one of two pages of health conditions and the only one that I ever have to check is Acne (which is extremely mild) and headaches, which most people get anyway.
2) The Health of my Family: I am so lucky to have a family that is very healthy as well. Four years ago my Dad went through a life-threatening health issue and every day I am thankful for the advanced medicine and doctors that saved him and kept our family together.
3) The Support of my Family: Moving 3,000 miles away isn’t something that most parents or family members encourage, but mine have been nothing but supportive. They have always believed in me and have encouraged me to do what makes me happy and live life to the fullest. Though I know they would be thrilled if I moved back to NH tomorrow, they are still excited and proud of me on a daily basis.
4) My Sister: Though my sister and I had some issues when we were younger, and I will admit, I was not always the nicest to her, I am so thankful to have her in my life. Being a country apart has only brought us closer and I know that we will always be able to count on each other. She has matured so much and I look forward to the memories to come.
5) Education: I have always taken my education for granted. Not for a second did I ever think that I would not graduate college. Considering most of my family members graduated from UNH like myself, it was just something that was second nature to me. Working for a for-profit online University for the past two years has completely changed my perspective. I have worked with students who never thought that they would graduate high school, let alone college. Learning about other peoples circumstances has made me greatly appreciate my own.
6) Friends: I am so grateful to have so many different friends from different areas in my life. I have friends from my childhood, high school, college, swim team, my sorority, work, California and many more connections along the way. Though I do not see these people enough, I still feel connected to them in many ways and when we get together, it is like nothing has changed. Being so far away, I must put work into these relationships in order for them to stay alive.
7) My Car: I am so lucky to have a safe and reliable car that will get me from one place to the other. My Honda is very low maintenance and will be with me for a long time (until I run her into the ground and can afford a new one of course).
8) The Internet: Yes, the internet. Oh Google, where would I be without you? It is mind boggling to think even when I was younger the internet was rare, and not something used frequently. I remember doing reports and looking in encyclopedias. It is so amazing how much knowledge is at our fingertips. The connections with friends, news, recipes, ideas, blogs, weather etc. that the internet allows us to access and make part of our lives on a daily basis is unbelievable.
9) Nature: Nature is so beautiful and all around us. It makes me so happy and is probably one of my favorite things about being alive. The beach is my favorite place in the world, and I am so fortunate to have grown up on the water, and to currently live only 8 blocks from it. I am thankful for mountains, lakes, rivers, tree, the sun and the earth for bringing me so much fun and so many fabulous memories.
10) Food & Drinks: I love eating and drinking and am thankful that I am able to cook and go out to eat on a regular basis. Food is about more than just tasting wonderful, it is about bringing people together.
On that note, I hope everyone has a great holiday season and is thankful for the wonderful things life has to offer.
Xo K
Korina Linda 