For the past month many of you have been sharing what you are thankful for each day.  I really have enjoyed seeing how each person is unique in their own way.  For some, thankfulness is simple, for other much more complex.   There is so many ways to be thankful.  Thankful for family, friends, community, simple daily tasks, things going the way we had hoped, not being angry or frustrated.  I think all of those are perfect reasons to be thankful.  I am fortunate to be allowed to see and read each of your posts.

I have found over the past 3 years a change in how I view thankful.

After Clara died I wanted to remind everyone to not take for granted their kids, spouse, family, and friends.  My innocence was lost, I know a child can die.  I know the pain.  It upset me when others complained about how their kids behaved or the stress they caused.  I used to be angry and jealous because I would give anything for those sleepless nights, crying and whinny kids, and all the unpleasant things that happen in our day to day child raising years.  Why can’t people just be thankful for what they have?  I failed to realize that they are thankful, even though the idea shared didn’t appear that way.

Today I realize we are all human.

We need to be able to “vent”.  Does that mean we aren’t thankful???  Absolutely not!  Should I be upset with someone who “vents”??  Nope.  I am thankful that is the worst they have to endure today.  It can always be worse.  I am thankful they might still have a bit of innocence in them.  I am thankful that today they still have a story to share.  I am thankful their kids are still with them.  I am thankful they are here with us today.  I might complain about my 3 hours of sleep, but maybe saying that helps me let the small stuff roll off my back so I can deal with something more stressful.  You might complain about how badly you hate your job but that you are at least thankful to be working.  Do I think that is wrong…nope, we are not going to love everything about our day but you are taking the time to find something positive in something that seems less than positive.  You are “turning that frown upside down” as my boys would say it.  I don’t know what is going on in each of your lives and I honestly have no way, nor is it my job, to decide what is complaining too much or what is not thankful enough.

Same goes for thankfulness sharing.

I don’t want to judge based on what I would be thankful for verses what you are thankful for.  I might giggle at your thought but that is because I am happy that you take the time to share something with the rest of us.  I am thankful I get to read something you have shared.  There is no guarantee I will get to read your post tomorrow so  I am thankful to get to learn more about you today.  I think many of us forget that each of our lives is so different.  No two people experience the same things throughout life.  No two people will share the same thankfulness ideas.  I won’t share the same thankful ideas that a 20 year old will (my dating and partying days are long behind me) and I wouldn’t expect to share the same as someone the same age or even older.  I am unique and so are you.  That is what makes what you share so interesting to read.

So what should you be thankful for?

I don’t know, only you do.  Only you know how thankful you really are.  Only you know why it is so important to share.  I am just thankful to read about you another day 🙂