Giving thanks...every day of our lives

We are again, looking forward to Thanksgiving Day (here in the U.S. and Canada.) We may think of "giving thanks" on this day but have we really asked ourselves if we have an attitude of GRATITUDE toward life and the good things that we have and experience in it?  This Thanksgiving Day is the FIRST one since Nov. 28, 1985; the day the dark ages started that I will be able to spend it with my first love, best friend and soon to be husband and also my son and many friends. It is also the first Thanksgiving Day that I will experience without my mom; having lost her to cancer in September. Life really doesn't seem very fair in ways. My mom knew that I had reunited with my first love and that we would be married soon; she was really happy knowing how much I have loved him and felt loved by him. As ironic as it has already been stated, though my mom is not with us, knowing that I am where I "should have been" all along somehow seems to make it the BEST Thanksgiving Day ever in my life. A sad and bittersweet smile comes over my face with that thought.

Now, as for being thankful, I have ALWAYS been thankful. I have always felt grateful rather than entitled to happiness. I have always felt blessed and loved and been very grateful for the love that others have allowed me to share with them.  

This Thanksgiving Day I want to thank SARAH, my dear friend 

who believed in my dream of being with my first love again 

and who listened tirelessly at all my kvetching and confusion while working 

through domestic abuse...Even though neither of us really believed that I would ever be free of an abusive husband, she refused to deny my dream 

and did everything she could to help see my dream come true. 

I love you Bud!!! 

I have to send an heartfelt "thank you" to SHERRI, my dear friend

who has never failed to be loving and genuine with me. Her kindness and

 beautiful ways always encouraged me to be the woman who I really am.

You are precious to me, I love you.

I send a BIG Thank You to PAULA, who has been a dear friend 

for many years and seen me through the majority of both happy single hood 

(again) and then abusive marriage for the next 12 years. She encouraged me 

to not give up on myself and to trust God to work it all out. 

Thank you for "holding my arms up" in the midst of the battle. 

You are my heroine. I love you!

These three very precious friends have helped me come to live out my dream and they believed in me and validated me at times when I did not believe in myself. They never doubted what I shared with them of my love for my first love and my dreams of being with him. I am thankful that each of these dear friends are happy for me...that is what makes Thanksgiving Day so special to me this year. 

What about you?