It’s far too easy for me to be a pessimist, especially these days. The world feels increasingly like an absolute shitshow (although maybe I’m just more aware of what an absolute shitshow it’s always been), and my personal life is messy, too, what with the dead mom and the dad with dementia. But ’tis the season to be thankful, so I’m trying to change my mindset, even if just for this week.
Taking my wonderful friends and family as a given, much like salt and pepper don’t count in five-ingredient recipes, I’m thankful for:
- Dogs. My two rescue dogs brighten my life in multiple ways, big and small, every single day, even when they’re peeing on the sofa and eating the floor.
- Modern medicine. From everyday things like ibuprofen when I have a headache to huge life-changing innovations like the COVID vaccine that enabled us to get back to normal life, I’m grateful beyond words.
- Social media. It’s both a blessing and a curse, for sure, but social media has allowed me to make friends all over the country and stay in touch with college pals and lesser-known cousins.
- Educators. If 1.5 years of attempting to “home-school” my kids taught me anything, it’s how invaluable teachers are – not just for actual pedagogy but also for extra care and support in the wider goal of sending functional humans out into the universe.
- Content creators. I don’t love that phrase, which feels very Gen Z to my geriatric millennial ears, but after six months of the writers’ strike and the actors’ strike, I am extremely appreciative of all of the work that creatives do to help with my goal of … escaping the absolute shitshow of modern life.
Whatever you’re thankful for this year, amongst whatever burdens you’re shouldering, please know that I’m wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season.
