Thank you for the hard times
I’m sure this is a common tradition – on Thanksgiving our family allows everyone a turn to express what they are thankful for at the dinner table. It’s a very nice way of paying tribute to the things in your life that are great.
Last year, I took a slightly different approach.
“I’m very grateful for my family and friends, who’ve supported me through everything I’ve gone through. I’m also thankful for my health, for the roof over my head and for my job. I know many others don’t have these things and I value all that I do have.”
My sister was right. So many people in this world have challenges that greatly surpass anything our family has endured – even though for us, our personal obstacles have seemed insurmountable at the time.
“I’m thankful for my family, my friends and my cats. I also love my pet bird. And I’m super glad we get to have turkey today.”
My sweet daughter, at the tender age of 7, also knows how to give thanks.
Now it’s my turn.
“I’m thankful for all the obstacles in my life. It’s so easy to wish for only the best to happen to us, and be upset when we’re faced with hardships. But when I look back on everything, I realize how great all the not-so-great things ended up being.
I’m thankful we didn’t have a lot of money growing up – I learned the value of a dollar. I’m thankful I was a young, single mother – it’s given me a tremendous sense of responsibility, and a deep understanding of love. I’m thankful my daughter had colic as a baby – her endless crying taught me to never give up. I’m thankful I was laid off from my job a few years ago – that allowed me to go to college and get my degree. I’m thankful to have lived paycheck to paycheck for so long – I learned a valuable distinction between what I need and what I want. I’m thankful that I tolerated working in that restaurant, for that horrible manager – if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have found my current job and met my wonderful husband. I’m thankful for all my student loan debt – without it, I wouldn’t be as appreciative of the investment in my education. I’m thankful for my strenuous commute and all the jerks on the road – it’s taught me patience … and forgiveness. I’m thankful for the down economy – it has increased the competition, and forced me to push myself even harder to prove I’m the best for the job.
I’m thankful for every tear I’ve cried, every ounce of pride I’ve swallowed, every panic attack I’ve survived, every argument I’ve had, every feeling of loneliness, every heartbreak I’ve recovered from, every exam I’ve failed, every dollar I’ve wasted, every mistake I’ve made. I’m grateful for every moment I’ve almost given up – and every moment I’ve realized I’ve overcome the impossible.
I love my life – every part of it. Without everything that I’ve experienced, both good and bad, I would not be who I am today, and I will not be who I’ll be tomorrow.
So thank you, to the Universe, for giving me so much crap to deal with.”
Last year, I took a slightly different approach.
“I’m very grateful for my family and friends, who’ve supported me through everything I’ve gone through. I’m also thankful for my health, for the roof over my head and for my job. I know many others don’t have these things and I value all that I do have.”
My sister was right. So many people in this world have challenges that greatly surpass anything our family has endured – even though for us, our personal obstacles have seemed insurmountable at the time.
“I’m thankful for my family, my friends and my cats. I also love my pet bird. And I’m super glad we get to have turkey today.”
My sweet daughter, at the tender age of 7, also knows how to give thanks.
Now it’s my turn.
“I’m thankful for all the obstacles in my life. It’s so easy to wish for only the best to happen to us, and be upset when we’re faced with hardships. But when I look back on everything, I realize how great all the not-so-great things ended up being.
I’m thankful we didn’t have a lot of money growing up – I learned the value of a dollar. I’m thankful I was a young, single mother – it’s given me a tremendous sense of responsibility, and a deep understanding of love. I’m thankful my daughter had colic as a baby – her endless crying taught me to never give up. I’m thankful I was laid off from my job a few years ago – that allowed me to go to college and get my degree. I’m thankful to have lived paycheck to paycheck for so long – I learned a valuable distinction between what I need and what I want. I’m thankful that I tolerated working in that restaurant, for that horrible manager – if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have found my current job and met my wonderful husband. I’m thankful for all my student loan debt – without it, I wouldn’t be as appreciative of the investment in my education. I’m thankful for my strenuous commute and all the jerks on the road – it’s taught me patience … and forgiveness. I’m thankful for the down economy – it has increased the competition, and forced me to push myself even harder to prove I’m the best for the job.
I’m thankful for every tear I’ve cried, every ounce of pride I’ve swallowed, every panic attack I’ve survived, every argument I’ve had, every feeling of loneliness, every heartbreak I’ve recovered from, every exam I’ve failed, every dollar I’ve wasted, every mistake I’ve made. I’m grateful for every moment I’ve almost given up – and every moment I’ve realized I’ve overcome the impossible.
I love my life – every part of it. Without everything that I’ve experienced, both good and bad, I would not be who I am today, and I will not be who I’ll be tomorrow.
So thank you, to the Universe, for giving me so much crap to deal with.”
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