A Giving of Thanks

While slogging through a slow paced work day, I've had time to contemplate the past year and how drastically my things to be thankful for have changed.  Last year when my family went around the circle (as the tradition dictates) and each person shared at last one thing they are thankful for, I said,
"My apartment...my cat and dog...my boyfriend..."
I believe 2010's thanksgiving went more like,
"My cat and my family..."
Although I of course still am grateful for my family, especially my brothers and sisters, I found that the focus of my thankfulness was my boyfriend, even just the fact that I no longer feel so alone and lost.

As we lay on my bed and talked about the night we met (our nine month anniversary just passed), a few tears trailed down my cheeks and into the corners of my mouth.
"I was so lonely before I met you,"  I said to M, and I supposed that is really the thing I am most grateful for.  The fact that I have someone to talk to and to go home to after a long day of work. 

I woke up this morning and looked around the apartment before I headed out the door for work.  The plant he bought me was moved to the dining room table, the curtains blew in the breeze, the kitchen counter clean and scrubbed down thanks to him taking time to help clean...

We need to stop and consider all the things that we have in our lives that we take for granted.  I know I will be trying more and more to consider those things myself.