Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to those celebrating today! Whether you’re visiting loved ones, sharing a meal with friends, or cozied up with leftovers and a good book, I hope your day is filled with love, patience, laughter, and lots of tasty food!

I’m in the latter category. I’m currently home alone today, lamenting immunodeficiency, PEG allergies, and this darn global pandemic. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss the farmer’s market and road trips. And I’m feeling sad seeing the cruelness of internet strangers to one another. But, today is a day for gratitude, so I’m propping myself up with some reasons to feel good.

Today I’m grateful for…

1. A loving partner who makes me feel safe and loved; quits playing a game with friends if I’m feeling lonely; buys quince and other exotic produce at the market for us to try; tracks medical research and single-handedly guided us both to better health; teaches me martial arts after dinner, so I can disable any assailant within arm’s reach; and makes me laugh with his dad joke humor.
2. Wonderful parents who live nearby and always welcome a friendly visit. I’m grateful for all the sacrifices they made to give my siblings and me a good education, a strong moral compass, the freedom to pursue our unique interests, and unconditional love. They have always kept me grounded, while lifting me up, and what more could a child ask for?
3. A supportive medical team because, while I would love to be in perfect health, I’ve had some challenges and I’ve built and open-minded and helpful team. They have helped guide my diet and lifestyle to allow recovery; facilitated diagnostics to decipher a multi-pronged root cause; and listen closely, then think critically to ensure good health.
4. Access to healthy food and the time to prepare it. Our household consumes organic produce and pasture-raise poultry and eggs from local farms. I feel good about what we’re putting into our bodies, the local farmers we are supporting, and the treatment of the animals. The pandemic and remote work have allowed more time for cooking and refining healthy and delicious meals.
5. My job. While my coworkers are busy and training has basically been me trying to make sense of things and create a framework for going forward, I’m truly grateful for the kind people I work with, the fair pay, and the generous benefits.
6. Leo, the golden retriever who goes on his walk by my window twice per day, always bringing a smile to my face.
7. Indy, my parents’ foster kitten may have a new home, and will meet his prospective family–a woman and her disabled adult son and their shy kitten. Indy is such a snuggly ball of energy and, while we’ll miss him, I’m excited for him to *hopefully* go home to a loving family and a sweet little companion tomorrow.
8. Financial security because I don’t have to worry about shelter, food, or basic necessities. I’m grateful to my younger self for committing to strict budgeting and aggressive savings, so I don’t have to worry about crippling debt or financial insecurity today.
9. Evening walks through the park. The weather in Phoenix is finally dipping below 90 degrees so, while we walk nearly every day of the year, the weather is actually nice for this sliver of a season and I’m enjoying every moment of it.

Happy Thanksgiving, all! I hope you find many things–big and small–to be grateful for this holiday season!