This year hasn’t been an easy one for me. It’s one of those years that I am ready for it to be over. Have you ever had one of those years?
Everything that could happen did. While I won’t go into details here, the people closest to me know the circumstances.
As Thanksgiving approaches, I search for the things I am thankful for. It’s tough when things fell apart like they have, but I know I can come up with several ways I am thankful.
1. My family
My family is small, just my son and me right now. Well, unless you count three fur babies, which I do consider to be a part of my family.
At times I don’t know what I would do without the fur babies to keep me company when my son is with his dad for weekends, vacations, and holidays.
I do have extended family, including my parents and my brother and his family. Again, we are still small compared to other extended families I know.
2. My friends
I don’t have many close friends, but I do have quite a few friends. I am thankful for their thoughts and prayers as I get through this rough spot in the road and just for being a good friend to me.
These friends lift me up when I need it most and cheer me on when things are going well. Those are the kind of friends a person needs.
3. My jobs
One of the big things that happened to me was a change in jobs, part of which wasn’t my decision. I have fallen into one part-time job that I love and one that I have substituted for in the past.
Working at a youth center and bonding with middle school aged youth is without a doubt a rewarding job. They try my patience and the boundaries my coworker and I set, but how boring would it be if they didn’t?
Over the three years of middle school, students come and hang out after school. I have seen new friendships form, and I have seen students grow from a tween to a teen.
I have three other part-time jobs that keep me afloat. My main one is substitute teaching. Every time I sub it’s a different day because I don’t usually sub more than one day at a time in a classroom, but it does happen occasionally.
I am also an independent Thirty-One consultant and am trying to build a freelance writing and proofreading business. Thirty-One is a fun job and one I enjoy helping people pick out the wonderful products we have. On the other hand, writing is a whole other subject, one that I will make a separate topic.
4. Writing
I have loved writing since I was twelve years old when I began keeping a diary. I wrote my first short story as a freshman in high school and haven’t stopped writing since.
As you can tell from this website, I have published three books now and am currently working on another novel during National Novel Writing Month. I have a draft of a Rick Springfield memoir done and hope to finish it after I finish the novel.
My writing goes on and on, just take a look at my websites. Someday I hope my writing will make a living for me, but until then I will keep trying.
5. My house
I have now lived in the same house for nine and a half years. I love our little neighborhood.
Even though it’s close to a busy highway, it is still a fairly quiet place to live and accessible to whatever we need.
6. My car
Almost three years ago I was able to afford a newer car. I traded in my Chevy Impala that was beginning to nickel and dime me with worn out parts for a Chevy HHR.
At the time they were one of the Top Three cars made by Chevy. Sadly, 2011, the year of my car, is the last year they made this car. I will drive it for as long as I can and hope something just as good comes along by then.
7. Social media
Don’t laugh. I know some people are addicted to this, but for me it is a great way for me to connect with people that I would not have met any other way.
I have met fellow Rick Springfield fans, reconnected with people from my past like fellow marching band alumni, and have met other authors and fans of my books.
It’s a way for me to connect for either my Thirty-One business or my writing and proofreading business. I’m sure if it wasn’t for Twitter and Facebook my links to my websites wouldn’t be out there for others to see.
Final thoughts
No matter how bad things get in life, you can always find ways to be thankful. As Thanksgiving approaches, what are you thankful for?