On Turkeys and Thanksgiving, Part 1

Thanksgiving is a holiday that brings up a lot of conflicting emotions for me. On one hand, I love the concept of a holiday that is about giving thanks and showing gratitude, but on the other hand, I'm not so sure that aspect of the day gets enough emphasis.

To focus my own thoughts and energy on what should be the true focus of this holiday, I've put together a short list of what I'm thankful for.

• I'm beyond grateful to have Carlos home this Thanksgiving. When I think back to this time last year and how miserable I was waiting to go get him and compare it to my life now, the contrast is unbelievable. He's so funny and sweet, and I can't imagine life without him.
• I consider myself very blessed with my husband and my marriage, which is now in its eleventh year! Wow.
• I have a wonderful family who accepts and loves me for who I am. My mom and step dad are even going to have vegan Thanksgiving with me and Carlos this year (Matt's working), even though they are not vegetarian. That means a lot to me.
• I have encountered a lot of amazing non-human creatures during my life, including my own dogs over the years (Farley, Hazel, Otis, Paco, Rowdy, and numerous foster dogs), plus the animals I met doing volunteer work. I am confident that the rest of my life will continue to be enriched by many more connections with animals, and I am grateful both for the animals in my past and those I look forward to meeting in the future.
• My professional life is going well; I'm actually starting to make a little bit of money doing something I enjoy very much, which has been a goal for about the last seven or eight years that I have struggled to reach for what felt like an eternity.
• Finally, I am thankful for my veganism and the many ways it has exposed me to joys I never would have experienced otherwise, and to the deep, deep sorrow that comes with the awareness of the endless ways animals are exploited for human enjoyment. Sometimes this sadness feels like a heavy burden, but I'm working to channel the sad feelings into direct action to help animals and people, and that's a blessing. So is the fact that I am alive and able to feel sadness.

Care to join me? Post your own list of what you're thankful for in a comment here, or leave a link to your own blog post on the subject.