Baby, all I want for Thanksgiving is you

There is no time of the year that I enjoy more than Thanksgiving. What’s not to love? You’ve got enough food to feed a third-world country, plus more friends and family members than you could probably stand at any given point in time, and no school, not to mention the parades and the anticipation of sales. Sprinkle in the traditional football game, and you’re got yourself the perfect Thanksgiving. Since my birthday is always just a few days before the actual day, I’ve always been able to convince myself that Thanksgiving break is the school’s gift to me. It’s silly, I know, but I have fun with it.

This year, Thanksgiving promises to be a bit different from those in the past. I’ve suffered more losses than usual, made more mistakes than I’d like to admit, and hurt more people than I feel comfortable counting. There just seems to be a lot less in my life to be thankful for lately. And while I could indulge myself in self-pity and hijack all of you along for the ride, I’ve realized that it does no one any good. What we must do in times like these, when faced with great difficulty and strife (especially when we’ve caused it and we can’t bring ourselves to accept that fact), is the only thing we can do: we must be thankful. Instead of drowning in the sea of sorrow that we tend to feel for ourselves, we have to thank those who have helped us achieve everything that we have managed in our lives. We need to humble ourselves to the fact that, despite how angry or hurt or upset you may be, the simple truth remains that your life, however stressful it is, is still yours, and you have so many people in your life to owe for that. We tend to get so caught up in this daily routine that we cycle through, over and over, day in and day out, not thinking about what it really is that we’re doing. So many of us simply go through the motions of life, without once stopping to appreciate the beauty of being alive. Instead, we stress out over school, or we get into fights with our parents, or we complain “This boy doesn’t like me,” “That girl won’t go out with me.” For some reason, we can’t put all of that crap aside and realize how completely insane it is that we’re just…alive. Why can’t we just sit down across one person and sincerely say “Thank you”?

So here’s mine: Thank you. Thank you to those of you who had the heart to care, who have had the energy to put up with me, and who have had the strength to help me. Thank you to those who have not given up on me, who have forced me to listen, who have been my support, and who have not judged me despite all the errors of my ways. Thank you to everyone who has always been there, and who have yet to succumb to me pushing you away, no matter how hard. I know I’m far from easy to handle, and knowing that I have people like you in my life makes it that much more worth living. The fact that I know I can turn to the select few people who have allowed me to continue to be a part of their lives is enough for me to be content with whatever situation I might be faced with, because I know that I’ve been blessed in a way that others can only dream about.

And to those who haven’t been able to deal with me: I’m sorry. I don’t blame you for not sticking around. I would have done the same, and long ago. The only thing I have to offer is my sincerest apologies. And a lot of times, sorry just doesn’t cut it. There’s no magic behind those two words that is going to make everything better, and no one can expect it to. But it’s a start. It’s a point to measure improvement by. Words are what they are: words. But that’s what I do. I’m a writer. I use words. So take these words into your head, and mull them over. Hopefully something will stick, and forgiveness will follow. Because Thanksgiving is not only a time for thanks, but it is also a time for compassion.

So, to those of you who have read this and learned nothing besides I’m a total sap and I’ve obviously messed up in a very big way: it’s Thanksgiving. Give thanks. Give love. Give anything. Just give. Because those of us who have the luxury to give have to seize the opportunity and relish in it. Because it’s Thanksgiving. Don’t waste it.