Gratitude - The Ye Olde Thanskgiving Post

I know, I know, Thanksgiving in the US has come and gone. I ran out of time and chose being with people I love over writing about them. But, now I have a minute to sit down and get my thoughts together.

It's no secret that I believe manners are one of most crucial things we can do for each other. Hate or love or be completely neutral... we can still be polite. Use please and thank you. Wait our turn. Not chew with our mouths open and such.

And part of that is the simple words, "Thank You." Thanks for that compliment. Thanks for that little bit of help. Thanks for showing appreciation. I probably say thank you a dozen times a day at least.

According to most dictionaries gratitude means the above. Thankful appreciation for kindness, for favors or benefits received. That works for me.

You may be wondering, well what are you so thankful for this year? It's true that there's some problems in my real life, some looming large on my personal horizon. But they are not things I can do much about, as they have to do with choices made by others that I have to depend on in part for my living conditions and whatnot. I'm disabled, in chronic pain and sometimes I feel like a package more than a person, just moved around almost as an afterthought.

But that's okay. I have a roof over my head, food to eat, a warm blanket to lay under and my gazillion meds provided. I'm far better off than most. So I'm grateful for that to start with. For now at least I'm not worried about the necessities of life. That's a big thing on it's own and no matter my hardships, I'm grateful.

I'm grateful to have second life, where I walk and dance and shop til I drop and laugh til I'm sore some times. I forget about my pain. I forget about things I'm worried about. I am free to just be myself.

I am grateful to have found people who make me smile on the daily. Who hug me when I'm hurt or just because. Who listen to my silly stories and make me laugh with their own. Who let me be part of their lives every day.

I'm grateful to be accepted as myself, emotional, passionate, fierce, silly, playful and ridiculous, and loved for those things about me.

The difference between this thanksgiving and last could not be more marked. Last year I felt lonely, abandoned, lost, quiet, unsure, worried, frightened. So many scary feelings.

This year I felt included, loved, protected, happy, safe, and many times joyful. I owe this difference to the dear people in my sl.

Aisling Landar
Dame Roxan
Sin Roxan
Brian Rhodes-Lescher
Dresden Rhodes-Lescher
Kaid Hawker

I have no words to express the difference you have made to me. I only hope you know you are dearer and more precious to me than any diamonds ever could be. May you be blessed in your lives as you bless mine.

No formal credits today cause that's not the point and I'm emotional.

I am wearing new Blueberry clothing, hat hair by No_Match, jewelry by RealEvil, Swallow, Amala, and MarmaladeNy. Boots are a group gift by N-Core.

I hope you all had a lovely warm and thankful Thanskgiving. ♥