Being grateful does not mean that everything is necessarily good.
It just means that you can accept it as a gift.
Roy T. Bennett
With yesterday being Thanksgiving, I've came to see the word "thankful" being used over and over again in social media posts, typically alongside family photos.
I held off posting my own, and honestly didn't really think much about doing so. Maybe because I didn't have a family photo to share, or because we were separated from joining any of our additional family members in the holiday's celebrations.
For me, I didn't publicly feel drawn to express my gratitude through words or filtered photos, yet I found myself thinking a lot about what it means to be thankful or feel a strong sense of gratitude. Instead I sat in silence after asking myself: What am I really thankful for?
Yes, I immediately thought about my daughter, and all of the reasons that I believe she was meant to be "mine", particularly through this chapter of my life.
Because of her, I also found myself thinking about those whose lives are impacted by their personal struggles relating to children- perhaps waiting patiently to create their own family, struggling through hardships brought on by childhood illness or genetic complexities, or (forever) grieving the loss of a child who was no unfortunately gone way too soon.
Then I thought about my husband, and how much he has impacted my life. Of course, his medical struggles have endlessly changed my life, but he, himself, has too. This is something that I haven't fully opened up about yet, but please know that much of my gratitude is for him.
I think it's fair to say that our life together isn't what we ever planned for, but despite that, I'll still cherish all that he has given me, and being by my side through all of the challenges we have been dealt over the years.
From the beginning, he stepped up and took a chance on me, something that I never really experienced before, and showed me love. A love that not only shined brightly as a father, but also led on my own journey towards self-love and an inner confidence that I always hoped to find.
While I've struggled greatly through the hardships that life has dealt us, I've come to embrace it all. The up-and-downs and the highs and lows. The moments filled with high anxiety and deep depression, then the ones of light and love. It has truly been a roller coaster.
So maybe if I had to say I'm thankful for one thing, it would be being forty-years old, and all of the understanding and appreciation that has come with it.
And all of the people who have stood by my side and given us friendship, love, and unconditional support.
The inevitable truth is that holidays are very tough for many people, even if they don't say so in a text, post on their page, or a conversation at the dinner table. Maybe some are sitting in silence while processing their own grief or reflecting on their current thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
Please remember this. Think about how difficult a certain day may be different for someone that you care about. Maybe they are in the depth of their struggles and can't find anything to be thankful for, and therefore it's even harder for them to see others photos and expressions of gratitude.
It doesn't mean you shouldn't express you own, just be mindful and know that we are all on our own individual journey, facing hardships that others can't always understand.