As we prepare for our annual trip to Asia, the overachiever in me kicks into high gear, and the pace in our lives escalate day by day. The last few weeks have been a whirlwind between holiday projects, work for our 2012 clients, and packing for 3 different people that will be traveling to 3 different places with 3 different climates.
Finally, now, 12 hours before our flight is scheduled to depart, I am able to sit down and write my Thanksgiving blog post. It is time to reflect on the many things that I am grateful for. My favorite way of reflecting is to look through old photos, reminiscing on all the wonderful things that have happened in our lives. My friend and idol David Beahm puts it in the most appropriate words:
“Memories have a way of rearing themselves up in the form of sadness – beckoning you to remember with the melancholy of what was – but I try keep my mind moving forward – remembering with fondness the good times that make me smile, the happy faces, the smells, the tastes, and the warmth. Then I almost can’t wait for all of the new memories and unknown wonderful experiences yet to come and am suddenly resolved that it really is a time for Thanks giving.”
He really hit it home for me. There are times when I actually don’t want to look through old photos, for it evokes sadness in me that those good times have passed. Fortunately though, I’m a natural optimist, so I do quickly manage to snap out of the sadness and remind myself that we are making new memories everyday. As cliche as it sounds, it really is important to cherish each day, and to not take anyone/anything for granted. Those of us who have children are always saying how quickly they grow up. It’s because the changes in them are so prevalent as they go from one stage to another day after day. But, we need to remember that at the very same time, we are all aging at the same pace even if the differences are less notable. Our parents, friends, siblings….everyone is aging and changing daily. Let’s take the time to notice them, to care for them, and to love them too.
This Thanksgiving, I am grateful to be at such peace with who I am, and how I want to live my life. It all sounds a bit spiritual, but I am the happiest that I’ve ever been in my life, even though my life is far from being “perfect”. It’s the journey that I have taken to be true to myself, to accept life as God has planned for all of us, and to make choices that I sincerely believe in. I am grateful for a beautiful, healthy, loving family that extends out to my cousins, aunts, and uncles. I am grateful for having a career that I can be passionate about, and to have the flexibility to reduce my workload when necessary to spend quality time with my family. I can go on and on….I am truly grateful for life itself.
Some tidbits from our daily inklings (courtesy of iPhone photos!) to remind me of all that we have to be thankful for…
I read my post from last Thanksgiving and realized how much life has changed since then. New home, new neighborhood, new school for Bridgette, new job for Alan….but the core of what we believed in has not changed one bit. We are still thankful for the simplicity of our day to day lives.
Happy Thanksgiving, and I wish for everyone to be safe, warm, and fulfilled this holiday.
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