Giving thanks
rosepurr's mom and her sister spykeetom are sharing the Thanksgiving weekend with us. It has made our apartment, with its one butt kitchen and two loving kittens, feel overstuffed in that good Thanksgiving way, our bellies and hearts full. We have had a couple of hectic days and today, with gloom draping outside, we are lounging about, catching on our reading.
With everyone gathered, it's nice to think about our blessings and what we're thankful for. I've reached a conclusion others might not reach.
I am thankful for me.
That sounds arrogant, doesn't it?
It may be, but it's true. There are a lot of things in my life I am thankful for. I have my health. I have a good secure job. I have a wonderful wife who is everything I've ever wanted in a life partner. I have friends and family. I have a nice home full of neat stuff and two affectionate kittens.
But good stuff doesn't just happen. You work at it. Everyday is and has been a conscious decision toward the life I want. I've quit jobs I couldn't stand (not immediately, of course, but in time) and taken jobs that paid less that provided better hours and less stress. I scraped by with less money and a better attitude. I decided I was tired of being cold and dealing with snow so I headed south. I've left relationships that seemed good, but were going nowhere. Being alone seemed better than being a dead-end relationship.
I married someone who I love completely and who shares my passion for this life. We fought to have the wedding we wanted, despite family expectations and some stupid state laws regarding who could perform our ceremony. I pursued her when, to others, it might have seemed inappropriate. I lost a friend over her.
My wife and I lead deliberate lives. We consider what we want and take choices and compromises very seriously. We live on our own terms. And we don't apologize for that. We have moments of hesitation and sometimes it does make me less spontaneous than she (or I) would like. It's hard, but it's worth it.
So I'm thankful for me. Because I am nothing without my friends and family and I have chosen them very wisely. Because I have worked hard at this life and appreciate it.
[Posted for LJ Idol Free Topic - The Giving of Thanks]
With everyone gathered, it's nice to think about our blessings and what we're thankful for. I've reached a conclusion others might not reach.
I am thankful for me.
That sounds arrogant, doesn't it?
It may be, but it's true. There are a lot of things in my life I am thankful for. I have my health. I have a good secure job. I have a wonderful wife who is everything I've ever wanted in a life partner. I have friends and family. I have a nice home full of neat stuff and two affectionate kittens.
But good stuff doesn't just happen. You work at it. Everyday is and has been a conscious decision toward the life I want. I've quit jobs I couldn't stand (not immediately, of course, but in time) and taken jobs that paid less that provided better hours and less stress. I scraped by with less money and a better attitude. I decided I was tired of being cold and dealing with snow so I headed south. I've left relationships that seemed good, but were going nowhere. Being alone seemed better than being a dead-end relationship.
I married someone who I love completely and who shares my passion for this life. We fought to have the wedding we wanted, despite family expectations and some stupid state laws regarding who could perform our ceremony. I pursued her when, to others, it might have seemed inappropriate. I lost a friend over her.
My wife and I lead deliberate lives. We consider what we want and take choices and compromises very seriously. We live on our own terms. And we don't apologize for that. We have moments of hesitation and sometimes it does make me less spontaneous than she (or I) would like. It's hard, but it's worth it.
So I'm thankful for me. Because I am nothing without my friends and family and I have chosen them very wisely. Because I have worked hard at this life and appreciate it.
[Posted for LJ Idol Free Topic - The Giving of Thanks]