Category Archives: Ramblings of Thanks

My birthday falls on Thanksgiving this year (anyone looking for a last minute gift, cash or gift cards to the Home Depot are welcome), and to celebrate, I’m going to reprise something for the blog that many of us did on Facebook last year. Each day, I will center my blog around something in my life I am thankful for. In this manner, I will attempt to be more grateful for the many blessings in my life. Hopefully, this series will provide a little positivity and inspiration to your day.

General Posts, Ramblings of Thanks

Friday Morning Ramblings – Thankful #5

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I’m grateful for my job.  On the same day I was hired for this position, my best friend was laid-off from his.  In this economy, it took him nearly a year to find work.  Even though I grumble and complain about the state of education and the downward spiraling of student apathy, I am grateful for the position.  My child support is paid in full every month, my children have health insurance, and I have enough left over to survive on for the month.  Things could be much, much, much worse for me.  So I’m thankful for my position at the college.

I’m also grateful for the opportunity to pass along knowledge.  There are still a handful of students who care about learning, and I still enjoy engaging those students and watching them get it.  I enjoy seeing the single mothers gain self-confidence and the young men who hid in their shells during high school slowly crawl out and find their voices.  I am grateful for the opportunity to serve these students and hopefully bring out of them something they didn’t know they had.  That aspect of the job is still gratifying and fulfilling.  I am thankful that through education my life has been about more than self-gratification and that my value as a human being is higher than my net worth on a spreadsheet.  I’m thankful that I have given something back to my society.

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General Posts, Ramblings of Thanks

Thursday Afternoon Ramblings – Thankful #4

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I’m thankful to have found stable ground for the first time in fifteen years.  Today, I’m free to be myself, without having to worry about someone’s jealousy, insecurity, or fear of abandonment.  For the most part, I have peace and stability with very little drama, very little neediness, and virtually no mistrust.  Emotionally, I feel happier and healthier than I can ever remember.  It’s a good place, and I’m grateful to have found this solid ground.

I’m also grateful to feel appreciated.  For too many years of my life, I was made to feel as if nothing was good enough or even just enough, period.  I constantly felt as if I were having to earn love on a day to day basis, and let me tell you, that’s no way to live.  I’m thankful not to be in that place anymore, and there aren’t words for how grateful I am to have the little things acknowledged, appreciated, and reciprocated.  After years and years of feeling unappreciated, I cherish being adored and respected.  I will not take that for granted because I know all too well how the other end of the spectrum feels.  I will make an effort every single day to express my thankfulness for being noticed and appreciated.

General Posts, Ramblings of Thanks

Wednesday Morning Ramblings – Thankful #3

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I’m thankful to live in a country where our transfer of power is bloodless and still somewhat civilized.  Yesterday, many of us undertook our civic duty to elect our representatives to Washington, and while some of us are disappointed by the direction, it occurred legally and for the most part without fraud.  Today, there aren’t tanks patrolling the streets to keep us indoors, and there aren’t armed mobs roaming the streets destroying property and burning down cities.  We voted, those votes were tallied, and the losers step to the side peacefully.  They may begin planning strategies for the next election cycle, but they do so without an armed insurrection.

That’s what makes this country so strong and so amazing.  If you don’t like the results of this election, work harder to win the next one.  If the people you voted for this time around don’t live up to your expectations, replace them in two, four, or six years.  I’m thankful to live in a country and within a system that allows us the freedom to choose our government officials, and if you don’t like the people who are running for office you have the opportunity to either run yourself or find someone you do like.  Our system is the model for how a Democratic-Republic should be structured, and I’m thankful for the thoughtfulness of people like Jefferson, Hamilton, Adams, and the many others who worked through their differences to develop a framework for government that has survived well over 200 years.

I am thankful to be an American.