Thankful

Facebook, both the devil and my saving grace at the moment, has been flooded these past few weeks with people posting daily about what they're thankful for. These posts tend to fall into two categories:

1. People who genuinely use this as a way to pause and be mindful of the things in their life, both good and bad, that deserve thanks.

2. People who use this as a way to brag about all of the "blessings" in their lives. I hate that word because it means that there are some people who are blessed and some who aren't. It also lends itself to the belief that if you follow a certain set of rules you will get these "blessings". Conversely, if you don't you won't. That's crap! These so-called "blessings" also usually consist of a giant house, a really nice car, children who are perfect (news flash no one believes you!), "besties" who are your friends but really your "frenemies" and an amazing husband who showers you with Pandora jewelry and dinners at Chili's. 

I won't delve any further into number 2 on the blog less I offend half of the population of Richmond. Instead, I'll share my list of what I'm actually thankful for this year not some list of things designed to make you feel that I'm better than you. Because news flash......I'm not. I'm just trying to find my way like all of you, my lovely readers. I screw up some times, make mistakes and act like an idiot. But I like to think that even when I'm doing all of these things I'm doing it from a place of love so you'll eventually forgive me.

Anyway, here's my list for 2013......

1. Wine! I love it and it gets me through most days. I could lie and say hot tea (which sometimes does help). But it's really that amazing glass (or two) at the end of the day that's awesome and I wouldn't trade it for anything. It feels like a luxury even if I'm enjoying a $10 bottle from Kroger (which is what I normally buy)  and hopefully it's with a friend who's making me laugh or someone special who's making me smile. 

2. Tipulater- It's an app. I don't care how many times you people say just move the decimal point blah, blah, blah! The numbery/sciency part of my brain doesn't work and without this app I would be offending fabulous waiters in all 50 states on a regular basis.

3. Thai Food. No explanation necessary.

4. A friend, you know who you are, who has listened to me babble on and on and on and on and on and never once told me what to do. You just listened. THANK YOU!

5. A pair of Michael Kors shoes that I bought for a wedding. You can check them out in a previous post here. I swear to God they have magical powers. I put them on and suddenly I walk differently, feel differently and, on occasion, find myself walking up to handsome strangers and asking them if that's a gun in their pocket or are they just happy to see me? Works every time!

6. Tears. An overwhelming emotion can sometimes overtake you like a storm.....stress, fear, anxiety, happiness, confusion, love. My body has a hard time keeping things like this inside. Although the tears may not be comfortable or convenient for the person standing in front of me, they are necessary so I can get the emotion out of my body and calmly communicate how I'm feeling and what I need. The alternative is that they'd stay inside, fester and rot and then I'd probably kill you with an axe in your sleep:). 

7. Did I mention wine?

7. Just kidding real number 7 is my dog Miss Austen. She's only nice to me because I feed her, but I'm willing to lie to myself and say it's because I'm such a good doggie mom. She's there when I get home, falls asleep on my shoulder and can't speak English so she can't yell at me when I'm being a bad doggie mom. Now if I can only figure out how she can generate some income?

8.  I'm thankful to be an Aunt and a Godmother. I really love kids but I don't feel any overwhelming need to have any of my own. Being an Aunt and a Godmother allows me to love these little angels (monsters), feel connected to their lives and have them in mine.

9. Death. On January 7 it will be four years since I've hugged my father, but because he died I decided to start living. I decided to stop being afraid. I stopped caring so much about what other people thought and realized that if I didn't make myself happy no one else would. All of the wonderful things in my life now would have had exactly zero chance of happening if I hadn't lost him. He would understand this, applaud it and say I love you baby girl now go knock 'em dead! And don't forget to thank me for your good looks and innate ability to piss people off, especially Republicans!

10. I am most thankful that I got to spend time this year with someone who made me laugh, made me cry, made me think and made me love. It has been one of the very few times in my life that I didn't feel alone. Whatever happens I will be forever thankful. 

I'll be taking the rest of the week off so Happy Turkey Day everybody! Mine will be filled with food that someone else is making for me (SCORE!), hugs from my nephew Jack and laughs with good friends. I hope yours is exactly the kind of day that makes you happy as well!