Appreciations...It May Not Be a Word, But I Don't Care

Today rubbed me the wrong way. I was going to vent about it, how it made me feel like I don’t do a good enough job keeping predators away from our kids, how all I could think about all day was this scumbag who will spend the next 40+ years of his pathetic life in jail now. But, it’s almost Thanksgiving, and, well, I should probably focus on something a little more positive now, shouldn’t I? Wait, can I end a sentence with I?

On Halloween night, I received the most genuine “thank you” I have probably received in years. It’s been a quite a tough year for one of my best friends, and we capped Halloween off with a celebration, or rather, as I see it, the end of the climb up a very steep hill where one finally reaches the amazing peak and decides to finally descend down the other side. At the end of the night, as we all walked to our separate cars, I was stopped with the hugest hug, a look square in the eyes, and a “Thank you…you know what for,” that really got to me. I get peppered with I love you’s and thanks from him all the time, but this one, I can’t explain. We kind of counseled each other all year, so, the thank you he gave me could have been lassoed back to him just as well.

So last night, I was talking to one of my beautiful girlfriends. She’s been on and off with a guy for years who doesn’t do her the justice of what she deserves. She knows this, so that is the only reason I am writing it here. And him, well, God I hope he figures it out sooner rather than later…otherwise, he’ll lose a good one.

Tonight, I went out to sushi with one of my very great girlfriends (who told me fabulous stories about the great guy who doesn’t take her for granted and I can’t wait to meet in real life by the way). I drove my car home that still smells like a new car (because it is), and climbed up the stairs to cookies baked by my future roomie, and now I’m on my laptop, writing this crap that may not tie together for anyone but me.

I’m celebrating Thanksgiving next week at my house with 20+ people. My life is not perfect, I’m not perfect, things aren’t always how I want them, but I realize I have it pretty damn good. It’s a common theme for me I suppose to rattle off how much I love my family, my friends, my beautiful and smart girlfriends, my ‘bodyguards’ who size up any guy I go on a date with and the guy friends who prove I deserve to be treated like the princess definition of my name, the roof over my head, the cush job, the nice car, all of it. I don’t say it enough maybe, but I am thankful for however this all ended up as my life.

So my final point, to tie this all together…I am hoping that everyone I know takes time to think about what you have instead of what you don’t have as we head into the holidays. Think about what you need to do to hold onto ‘it’ or ‘him’ or ‘her.’ We are a spoiled society, and things and people taken for granted typically fade, walk away, become of less value to you, or become a point of resentment rather than appreciation.

And, while you’re doing that, listen to Phoenix, Ooh La by The Kooks, Drug Induced by Limblifter, and Church Clothes by Matt Nathanson. Oh, and have a happy Thanksgiving too.