A Season of Thankfulness


     A few weeks ago, when I was getting lunch with a friend, I noticed Christmas wreaths outside a store. When I went to Target on Halloween night, they already had Christmas-themed M&Ms out front by the register. And now, just about every retail place has up Christmas-themed decorations, products, etc. That's how retail works, though. Businesses go from one holiday to the next. However, it seems to me that people keep forgetting about an important holiday that comes about a month before Christmas: Thanksgiving.

     In the past few years, it has come to my attention that Thanksgiving has started to become an afterthought between Halloween and Christmas. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, used to signal the beginning of Christmas shopping. However, Black Friday has since shifted to "Black Thursday". The Christmas shopping season no longer waits for Thanksgiving to end. And that's a shame! Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday -- and not just because of the food. Thanksgiving is...well, a day of giving thanks and spending time with loved ones. We're so quick to jump into the spirit of Christmas and writing up wish lists for what we don't have, we forget to be thankful for what we do have.

     With that in mind, I just wanted to take time to give thanks for what I do have. I've got a lot to be thankful to God for. I'm thankful having a place to stay and call "home". I'm thankful for food, water, clothes, and all the "basic needs" that quite frankly I take for granted far too often. I'm thankful for the job that I have here in Houston. I'm thankful for the teachers, professors, and everyone else that's helped me over the course of my education that made it possible for me to get to where I am today. I'm thankful for the friends I've made in Virginia and at Baylor that I still talk to today. I'm thankful for the friends I've made at work and church these past nine months since moving to Houston. It's been really cool to see those friendships grow and made me feel welcome. Speaking of Houston, I'm thankful for this city. Houston's been through a lot these past few months, and to see everyone come together in a time of need has been really humbling.

     And, of course, I'm thankful for my family. They have always been by my side, believed in me, listened to me, etc. I wouldn't be where I am without them today. I'm incredibly thankful that I'll get to see them this Thanksgiving. Spending the past few Thanksgiving in Texas away from them makes me extra thankful for this one (shout out to my professor for inviting me over to his place for Thanksgiving meal last year). I'm looking forward to playing games, making up crazy "what ifs", and eating good food. But most of all, I'm looking forward to just spending time with them and seeing them.

     Christmas is great holiday. Don't get me wrong on that. However, it still is (or only is) 44 days away. There will be plenty of time to watch holiday specials, wear awesome sweaters, and pretend to like fruitcake and eggnog. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving and what comes with it.

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