Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

I have friends who don't celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday for various reasons which I won't delve into here. But even in their lives, they take a moment to pause and reflect on things they are grateful for.

I'm grateful for so very many things...Friends, family, pets, and just being alive. It was not all that long ago that Fidget and I sat and had a long, emotionally charged conversation about my (seemingly) imminent death. No one could figure out what was wrong with me and yet my health steadily declined. Each day that I am alive is a new chance at life.

In all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays (it really doesn't seem to matter which one), sometimes we lose sight of the trees because we're so focused on the forest. For me, Thanksgiving is a chance to take a small step back and admire the trees.

We'll have 15 people at our house for Thanksgiving this year. The great wonder of this (especially for those who know me in real life) is that I am not really all that stressed about it. I haven't even gotten out the toothbrush to clean the vents and window sills...And I don't think I'm going to. This get-together is about so much more than having every nook and cranny spotless...It's about family.

Family, to me, is not just a matter of blood. Some of my closest family aren't blood relatives...And yet they are closer to me than I can say. They are not just relatives, they are my "chosen" family. One of the things I'm most grateful for this year is a re-connection with a long-lost "sister" from my high school years.

Holidays...time to take a step back and count our blessings, name by name.

I hope your Thanksgiving day is filled with things you love...Your favorite foods, people, or TV shows.