Giving thanks

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Yes, I love the food and the chaos in the planning...but mainly I love to be with family and friends. And, its a special time for me to stop and be thankful. And this year, I am very thankful. Down on my knees thankful. Although I am not a religious person, I feel prayer might be in order to make sure my thankfulness is heard wherever it needs to be heard.

There are several special people I know and love who are going through such difficult times. Dealing with loss of income, loss of health, loss of love. And although life is far from perfect here in our little tree house, we are so lucky. I am so lucky, blessed really. My family is currently healthy. We are currently earning incomes. We still agree to be married and follow our marriage vows, even though we might skip a paragraph or two from time to time.

This is the first year in a long while that I have felt that, life is really hard. This is the first year of my 7+ year marriage that I understood why people could so easily get divorced. This is not the first year that I have felt so trapped by the need to earn an income, yet this year seemed harder.

I share this to be clear: life is far from perfect but....I am reminded at Thanksgiving of all to be thankful for. I have wonderful family and friends. A roof, with leaks, but a roof all the same, over my head. And love. Wobbly and wonderful love. At least for today. As the 12-Steppers say, "One day at a time."