Thankful.

Earlier today I went to my old roommates apartment for a potluck. There was somewhere between 15-20 people there. The food was delicious and the company was great. Once everyone had eaten we were all hanging out in the living room talking, laughing, and just genuinely enjoying each others presence. We happened to be assembled in a circle around the room when someone came up with the idea of going around and saying what it is that we are thankful for. Sounds a little like Thanksgiving, huh? As people started answering the question there were a lot of 'my friends/you guys' answers and of course jokes from the boys. The majority of the people at this get together are pretty close with each other. I, on the other hand, am close with a few, but for the most part the rest were acquaintances that I only see when we happen to be invited to the same gatherings, much like this one. Once the question had made its way to me I knew what I wanted to say, but felt like I shouldn't. Not because they would judge me, but I was one of the last ones to go so I had put more thought into it and it wasn't the mushy answer of 'you guys!'. When my old roommate looked at me and told me it was my turn, I didn't want to go into my explanation of what I really was thankful for, so I just looked at her, smiled and said 'you, of course.' So yes, I did end up just saying a cheesy answer, much like the rest of the room.

Want to know what I was really thinking? 

I was thinking how thankful I am for the life I have been given. Growing up I never was left needing anything. My parents provided me and my siblings with everything we needed and much of what we wanted too. I'm thankful that I never had to worry about when I was going to be able to eat again, if I was going to have a warm bed to sleep in, or if I was going to have clean clothes to wear. Everyday I had access to these things, not to mention the various pairs of shoes, cable television, my own bedroom, etc. that I also was blessed to have. Because of my parents hard work and dedication to their children, I have been given opportunities and experiences that plenty of children don't get. I have been on countless airplane rides to exciting places, when I turned sixteen I had a car to drive, and every year there has always been an abundance of presents under the Christmas tree. 

Not only am I thankful for these materialistic things, I am also thankful for the support and love that surrounds me on a daily basis. My parents have always been supportive of the paths I have chosen to go down throughout my journey of life. And trust me, my parents aren't the only supportive people I have in my life. I have these amazing people that I call my friends too. No matter how many times I have vented about the same problem, situation, or event, they continue to listen, even when they know it's probably not going to be the last time they hear about it. I don't think that I will ever be able to repay them for that, they are some pretty wonderful people. Just knowing that there are multiple people that care about me every single day is enough to make me push forward in the struggles of everyday life. 

So what am I thankful for? 

-for being given a fruitful life

-for having the love and support of those around me

Of course there are some many other things to be thankful for, like the company of those around me earlier. But what most people forget about is the fact that they are lucky enough to wake up to their alarm clock every morning. Because having an alarm clock means that you are privileged enough to have electricity in your house/apartment. It's these things that we take for granted so often. We forget that there millions of people around the world that aren't certain if they are going to be able to eat that day, or if they are going to be able to find clean water, or if their electricity is still going to turn on because they couldn't scrape together enough money to pay the bill this month. 

So the next time you are having a bad day, just remember that you are lucky enough to have access to the internet, where you can find some pretty funny youtube videos to brighten up your day  :)

Be Grateful- Kaila; xoxo