Thanksgiving Day

So today people celebrated Thanksgiving Day in the US.When I first moved to the States I didn't quite understand the holiday, to be honest... But after seeing what it meant to people and actually being part of it, I started liking it...

We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Ecuador, and I understand why... But seriously, we celebrate Halloween, and we can't celebrate Thanksgiving? Sucks!

Anyway... Even though I didn't get to sit around a big table with family and friends, and eat delicious food, I still started my day saying what I was thankful for...

Today, November 25, 2010, I am thankful for:

* My parents, for being the most amazing parents one can ask for.

* My brother, because even though he calls me Shamu every now and then, he's still the best brother ever, and because I miss him and I can't wait to see him again!

* Mia. She lights up my every day, that's all I can say.

* My family in general, because they are my rock.

* My friends, here in Ecuador and the ones in the US, for always being there. For being my friends.

* My school. Yes, my school. Because I don't think I could've ever gotten on with my life if I hadn't been so consumed by school. I don't think I would've gained back my self-confidence if I hadn't proven myself I was good at something again.

* For being alive.

A lot of times when things get hard, I've thought the easy way out would be to just give up. School's hard: give up. Love life sucks: give up. Someone lied to you: give up on them.

But the easy way out is not always the best way to go... I've learned nothing in life comes easy. Nothing WORTH HAVING, anyway.

I don't have everything a person would want... But I certainly have everything I need, and probably more.

I have a brilliant career and future ahead of me. I'm doing what I want, what I like. I have wonderful parents who support me, I have an amazing brother who always reminds me why I came back. I have the strength I need to move on, to keep going and never give up.

I'm thankful for my life! I'm thankful for being strong enough and for knowing when to say 'it's enough'. I'm thankful for knowing when to say yes, and when to say no.

I'm thankful for everything I have...

I don't think one day a year is enough. I think that's this world's problem. We have things we know we are thankful for, but we don't ever say it. We take things for granted. We wait until something happens and we lose them, or we fear we may lose them, until we decide to say how we feel. We assume they know.

Don't ever assume people know what you want to say. Don't ever assume God knows you're thankful. Don't ever assume anything. Say it. Show it. Prove it.

Life's too short not to. Life's way too great not to.

Be who you want to be, do what you want to do, and go where you want to go, but always remember to thank those who helped you get there...