I'd like to hope that I show my gratitude frequently enough that Thanksgiving is not the only day that I acknowledge how fortunate/privileged/lucky/blessed I am. But it's that time of year and I've been having a lot of Thoughts that need to manifest in the form of Words. Plus I read my friend Zoe's list of things she was thankful for and might have gotten a little dust in my eye when she talked about her family (what can I say, mimicry is the highest form of flattery amirite?). So here is a poorly introduced list of things I'm thankful for.
1. I'm thankful that I am an American.
Yes. I know that's not what you expected to see first on this list. I am a liberal, hairy (sometimes) well-educated well-traveled feminist Fabulachian bad-ass. I have many feelings about the way our system of governance works and many of them are not positive. I've been known to say that I hate most Americans.
But gosh darnit, if I don't love the United States of America. I love that our national bird is a carrion eater. I love that beer companies make patriotic cans in the summer. I love the islands of Hawaii, the green mountains of West Virginia, the deserts of Utah, the clusterfuck that is the mid-Atlantic, the red soil in East Tennessee, the tight hollers of Kentucky, the vast loneliness of the Great Lakes in winter, and even the way Ohio looks when it's cloudy. I love that we all have silly accents and we don't have mandatory military service and have free education but get so pissy about paying our taxes. I don't think we're the best nation in the world, but this is where I'm from. Even when my throat is sore from cursing politicians and my eyes are watery from hearing about health issues caused by environmental devastation and my heart is heavy because there's nothing I can do to fix it all, this is my home and I'm gonna do my best by it.
2. I'm thankful that I'm single.
Not because I'm having the wildest best time ever! (Because I'm not). But because I'm preparing to head into a fairly uncertain time in my life, and I'm glad that I won't have to take into account the future of another person when I make my decisions.
3. I'm thankful for my education.
More and more I'm realizing how much I've learned at Oberlin. I can write well and think critically, which is unfortunately not something that everyone knows how to do.
4. I'm thankful for my family.
Y'all have supported me even when I stopped saying "yous guys" and started saying "y'all" because "y'all" isn't gendered but also because I moved to Kentucky. I don't know if I've turned out the way you expected, but I'm turning out and it couldn't have happened without you. Plus you've supported me mentally, emotionally, and financially. In a month I will have so much more time for you.
5. I'm thankful for my friends
This world is a hard place and I have a natural tendency to deal with it all on my own. But you won't let me do it. When I'm trying to spend the night in my house and in my head sewing, you text me and ask me if I want to get a drink. You're there when I leave my house and there physically or in spirit when I get home. You're in so many different states and countries and places that I haven't been to. I drew a cartoon at the beginning of the summer of a girl trying to hold together pieces of her heart that are being pulled all across the country. But you're pushing back and everything is still in one piece. You all inspire me constantly with your kindness, intelligence, creativity, humor, conscientiousness, and love. And because I have had you in my life, I realize that I must be a pretty decent person too.
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