Since it was Thanksgiving Day here in the United States this past week, I thought I'd make this post about a handful of the things for which I am most thankful. This definitely does not cover everything at all, but it's a good start at least. I am thankful for...
- My health. I could be in a whole lot worse shape and, all things considered, I really am doing great. Being healthy enough just to eat, drink, breathe, and use the bathroom normally is no longer something I take for granted, and the fact that I can still run, ride an exercise bike an hour a day (that's my goal at least), and in general stay active is a nice bonus too.
- My family. My parents are the reason I have health insurance and went to Sloan Kettering instead of somewhere else, so for that alone I owe them my life, not that I didn't a hundred times over before. They've also done an incredible job simultaneously caring for their sick child and letting me be an adult living his own life. My siblings have helped make life as normal as possible this past year by visiting as often as they could and playing games with me of the board or video persuasion, depending on what I was up for. My In-laws deserve mention here too, for all their support, prayers, and kindness this past year. Extended family members deserve my thanks too, for the cards, care packages, encouraging emails, hundreds of snapchats, and dozens of other ways they have encouraged, loved, and supported me.
- My wife gets her own paragraph here. She's been with me nearly 24/7 this past year, and that's quite an accomplishment. I don't even like spending 24/7 with myself. So the fact that she has just about always been there, ensuring that I eat, stay hydrated, and take my pills at the right times this past year deserves an award. She's also done hundreds of other tasks, many of which I really should have done myself, so that I can have less to do, be more comfortable, and spend more time lazing around, goofing off, and enjoying life when there's paperwork to be done.
- My friends (and my friends' friends, and beyond). I certainly don't personally know all the people who have sent cards and packages, followed my journey on Facebook or Caring Bridge, prayed, emailed, and encouraged and supported me and my family throughout this past year. That so many people have stepped in to help me and my entire family out this past year has been a huge blessing to me and my wife, and I know to my parents and siblings as well.
- God. Beyond my own carefree attitude and the love and support of so many people, there is one other source of help that has carried me through this past year. I would be remiss if I did not mention my faith or how it helped me, kept me calm, and gave me peace and the freedom not to worry. It is chiefly because of God's love, shown in so many ways, and often through so many people, that I endured the last year as happily as I did.
I know there are many more things not listed here for which I am thankful, and even more that I am not thankful for, but really should be. Through the craziness of the past year though, I have, thankfully, come to realize at least a little bit just how blessed my life really is, and how thankful I ought to be.
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