Feeling thankful

Happy Thanksgiving! This is a special early-afternoon blog post because I work this afternoon/evening. Last year, I had Thanksgiving off but worked Christmas. This year, it's the opposite. Despite the fact that I'll spend my holiday at a desk instead of at a dinner table, I'm still in a thankful mood. This year has brought a lot of "good" into my life.

For starters, I'm thankful and fortunate to have loved ones near me. My sister and her family are just a short drive up Interstate 77, some of my best friends have made parts of North Carolina home this year, and Ben and I have been living together since the end of May. There are plenty of people dear to me who aren't as close, but I'm thankful they are still in my life (my parents, my brother and his growing family, and my sweet friends from college just to name a few).

Additionally, I'm thankful for my job. I'm lucky enough to be in the field I had dreamed of joining, and I'm so happy with the opportunities I've been given in the year (and some change) that I've been working so far. I've made wonderful friends and created work that I'm proud of. Not a bad start to a career, if you ask me.

I'm fortunate to have a roof over my head, food to put on the table, and a home I feel proud of. Plenty of people don't have that same good fortune, and today as all days I feel grateful to be in the situation I'm in.

I don't know what the next year (and the start of a new decade!!) will have in store for me, but I do know I've been given the building blocks to make something great. I'm so thankful for all that I have, and the person I've become.

As we kick off the holiday season, I hope anyone reading this has the chance to spend a little time with loved ones. I'm thankful to all of you readers for supporting my words and encouraging me to share my experiences.

In short, thank you.