We interrupt no. 2 – Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

I am particularly fond of the value of “gratitude.”

The power of a simple thank you; a gesture of appreciation and sincerity; a genuine, eyes-locked, spoken exchange of recognition – all of these can go a long way. On an everyday basis, but especially at this time of year.

The thanks we give at this time of year seem a little different, though. They feel more internalized.

When I think about Thanksgiving thanks, I think about the privileges, opportunities, wonderment, and experiences bestowed upon me. The luck, good fortune, and serendipity I have somehow been blessed with. It’s an introspective thanks. A,

“How in the world did I get to be the one to lead this life?” type of thanks.

To be clear, I do not think our introspective thanksgivings are necessarily more or less important than our daily exchanges of gratitudes; rather, I equally believe in the power of expressing thanks, both inward and outward.

I also wonder, though, what would happen if, after we internalize how we have been blessed with these good fortunes

– these reasons why we sit and give thanks every year at this time of year –

what would happen if we then went out and externalized these, too?

That thing your kindergarten teacher taught you, the bit of wisdom you still remember?

Thank you, Mrs. Graden.

The time you finally understood why your parents harped on “the golden rule”?

Thanks, mom and dad.

The college professor who saw your interests before you fully recognized them?

Thanks, Dr. Dart.

So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, a list of 24 things I am grateful for this year. Some have more weight than others. Some are simple, silly even. Some are daily reminders for myself. Some are internalized, others externalized. But each, in some way, has played a part in me being thankful for who I am – and where I am – today.

---

Happy Thanksgiving 🦃: A List.

1. An adventurous spirit: I wrote a resolution for myself – a New Year’s Resolution for 2021 – that I would learn to paddleboard. I had the opportunity to embrace this goal this past summer!
2. Pancakes and coffee: On one particularly less-than-stellar day this past year, I stopped into a Cracker Barrel for the one meal that always cheers me up: pancakes (and coffee, because even though it was already 7pm, I was exhausted and had two more hours to drive). The waitress took pity on me, I think, because she was one of the sweetest people I have ever met.
3. The sun!: This past summer, I got to intern on the farm! By the end, I felt restored in a way I hadn’t fully comprehended I needed when I first started. I firmly believe the sunny days out there made all the difference.
4. Having an appetite: I remember being a dietetic intern while I was an undergraduate student. I would talk to patients who were on a slew of medications that messed with their appetite. I could never fathom not having an appetite, though, until the same thing happened to me earlier this year. I am so very thankful to have gained a deeper empathy for these people but am simultaneously glad I was feeling well enough to enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving dinner.
5. Spaces to cry when you really just can’t hang: Ask me how much I like the dentist’s office – or don’t. It is probably my least favorite place to visit, but I am glad for the safe haven my office and dear friend of an officemate always offer me when I need it most.
6. Another chance to get to know my college town: Lately, I have been reflecting on how glad I am to feel so at home in Athens – I have learned how to live! This is something that, in hindsight, I realized I did not do a great job of learning to do while I was at TCU. Up until a couple of days ago, I was sad about this revelation, but now I realize I have a chance to do it over here at UGA.
7. The power of modern medicine: I had an unfortunate trip to the ER this past fall, but in the end, a few unexpected friends and some stronger medications set me on the road to recovery.
8. My mother: Some days, I wish I could be a child again and just give in to letting myself be taken care of, but most days, I am in awe of the life I get to live as an adult. I have appreciated getting older because I can see the creativity, common sense, and empathy I learned from my mother weaving its way into my everyday actions.
9. My father: I will echo the above but say instead, or add, that as I have gotten older, I can see how my father’s stubbornness and analytical nature, much like with what my mother taught me, has also allowed me to grow and thrive as an adult.
10. My parents!: I already talked about both of them, but I am eternally grateful for their love and support.
11. The ability to smile: We’ve all had hard days. They aren’t easy. That’s why they are hard. I feel lucky that, more often than not, I can dig up a smile.
12. Small town Mexican restaurants: Free chips and salsa and margs?? I’m in.
13. Greensboro, AL: That is all. I wish I had the words to fully articulate how acutely aware I am of my being because of this place, but I do not. So instead, I’ll simply say, “thank you” to Alabama and all those I know because of my time here.
14. Ideas: Ideas are cool! Chris Anderson, the author of TED Talks, said, “But once an idea is formed in our minds, no one can take it from us without our consent.”
15. Healing: Most of 2020 and a lot of 2021 were a little rough if you ask me. I am thankful to be where I am today.
16. Jimmy: Thanks for deciding my crazy personality and bust-a-neck speed up the mountain were worth keeping up for.
17. My parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and a whole slew of other family members near and far: I am thankful to have such a wonderful array of supporters who believe in me, even when I think some of the things I am working toward are rather Sisyphean.
18. My friends!: My research professor always likes to joke, “Wait, you have friends?” Yes, Dr. Peake, I have a whole bunch of them, and though I am often sad many are spread far away, I am grateful for the love they have all offered and shared over these 24 years of life.
19. Speaking of Dr. Peake, Dr. Peake: my one-of-a-kind research professor!
20. Coffee: I would like to say this is a very different item than “pancakes and coffee.” Also, as the MVP of the get-Jade-through-graduate-school team, I think coffee deserves two shout-outs.
21. Ice cream: Another key player in the get-Jade-through-graduate-school team.
22. Turtlenecks and sweater season: I have been so cold this winter, so these have really come in handy!
23. My home: When I was little, I wondered how in the world people ever made the transition to having roommates and renting an apartment. Well, now I know, and I am incredibly thankful to be able to come home every day to a space I love.
24. Me!: Conceited as that may sound, never forget you are the one and only person getting you so thoroughly through this life. I am a conglomeration of many people, things, places, and ideas, but at the end of the day, I am glad I am the person I am who is the one leading this life. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

What are you thankful for this holiday season?