Aggressively Positive Content: Thanksgiving Edition

A Thanksgiving Forward

First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge that I am well aware that I am posting my Thanksgiving entry four days after Thanksgiving. I could easily write a few notes about how I purposely decided to post it after the rush of the holiday to give people time to settle and reflect on the special moments with friends and family and not have it get caught in the shuffle. Or, I could be honest and tell you that I came home Thursday night, immediately passed out on my bed, and woke up the next morning with my annual awful horrible cold, right on time for the holidays. I apologize, I just didn’t have it in me to post until now. But like I said, you’re all settled and thankful and primed for a good, wholesome read. So with that I begin as all good, wholesome reads do, with a series of rather unfortunate events in the good ol’ horse stable.

A Series of Rather Unfortunate Events

It’s the Sunday before Thanksgiving and I go down to my bathroom to begin my nightly pre-bed routine. It’s a little later than normal as I was just coming off an old habit of mine, something my former roommate Wayfish coined a “Napetizer.” I switch on the light…nothing happens.

This didn’t faze me too much as it had been flickering for a few days. I decided I would just brush my teeth in the dark and deal with it the next day. Then, I take a step into the bathroom and my pink fuzzy slipper instantly gets wet. I peer around in the dark to find a puddle on the floor of my bathroom. After some further investigation, I discover a constant stream of water dripping from the light fixture in my ceiling.

Now, the lowest grade I ever got in school was in Electricity and Magnetism (a horrid, horrid class) but even I knew that electricity and water together was probably not a great sign.

A Series of Rather Unfortunate Events, cont.

This leads to a night of no power (and no heat), and a Monday of rescheduling the locksmith to come and fix my open door problem so that the electrician and plumber can come and fix my water dripping on electrical wires problem, all while calling the mechanic to fix my car problem. By the end of it I was drained and discouraged. It’s been 5 months in this apartment and every day seems like one step forward and two steps back.

To top it off, it’s Thanksgiving week, and I see everyone at home preparing to gather with their families in their hometowns. Meanwhile I am on the other side of the ocean in a dark, cold, non-functioning apartment. 

I bet you didn’t think this was how my Thanksgiving post was going to start out, huh?

A Series of Rather Fortunate Events

But then, I get texts from every single member of my family checking in, making sure I’m okay, and getting angry on my behalf. I get messages from friends offering a place to stay in Sligo if I need it and encouragement from San Francisco 5000 miles away. I am reminded of the amazing people in my life watching out for me; people who have my back no matter where in the world I am.

And then after that, Sheepy Boy asks me to watch his plant while he’s gone for the weekend. Except when I open the door it’s not a plant in his hands. No, it’s my favorite snack of all time, Almond Butter Filled Pretzels from Trader Joe’s, that his parents brought all the way from Chicago.

It’s a Thanksgiving Miracle!

And then after that, something even crazier happens! I decide to reach out to my favorite podcaster, Emily Abbate, because I was feeling uncharacteristically gushy and sentimental. I didn’t really expect a response but she had such a positive impact on my life this year that I thought it was worth at least reaching out and letting her know, even if nothing came of it.

Within ten minutes, not only does she respond but she links my blog and shares it on her Instagram story of 100,000 followers!

To be completely honest, and I couldn’t even really tell you why, this made me start to cry. Now you should all know by now I detest crying and avoid it at all costs, but this act of kindness from someone I look up to and admire just caught me off guard in a moment when I was feeling a little sad and more than a little homesick. (Alexa play Homesick by Noah Kahan)

Blackberry Moments

I truly believe gratitude is one of the biggest superpowers you can wield in life. If you can look at your situation and pick out the good among the bad, you will always come out a winner in the end. While this is an important skill in your everyday life (Exhibit A: my day today), it’s also really special to reflect on a month, a year, or a specific chapter in your life as well. There’s so much beauty in the world if you choose to see it. My mom calls them Blackberry moments, the little unexpected pockets of joy that show up throughout your day, and they are the key to living a life you love.

That’s why I adore Thanksgiving so much. It’s Christmas’ smaller, less commercialized cousin that is about my three favorite things: family, gratitude, and yummy food. It kicks off the objectively greatest time of the year and gives you a chance to take a moment, look around the table in the midst of the chaos of the dinner/day/week/month/year and say, you know, I’m pretty darn blessed.

The Aggressively Positive Content You Came Here For

So with that in mind, I wanted to do something special for this post and reach out to family, friends, and people who inspire me and ask them all the same question:

“What is something specific to this year that you are thankful for?”

So without further ado, I hope you read, enjoy, and realize that no matter what, there’s always something to be thankful for:

“I’m especially thankful for you, Grayton, Kyle, Kristie, Jackie, and Chris for being so friendly and welcoming me as part of your group even though you all knew each other prior. I was super anxious being alone in Donegal but having you guys (and the travelling!) made Ireland feel like home. You guys are amazing people.

I am also thankful for the opportunity to travel alone – would totally not have done it otherwise but being in this situation forced me to, and I found I absolutely love the independence to roam as I want to!”

• Jeremy (Germy), Donegal (Originally Singapore)

“This year I am thankful for being able to push my body to try new activities and make friends doing so! Like surfing, aerial yoga, pilates. I am also very grateful for my health – physical and mental, all which I have to actively work on! It’s great to connect with others on this journey and feel so supported and have so much fun along the way.”

• Kristina, Los Angeles

“I’m thankful this year that I am not in the state of Ohio.”

• Ethan, Clonmel (Originally Chicago)

“I’m thankful for this beautiful life that Michael and I created and how wonderful pregnancy has been. I am also thankful to live in a time where I am surrounded and inspired by such amazing, strong, and resilient women. I’m lucky enough to watch them break barriers into the future and it gives me some hope that the future our daughter will grow up in won’t be all bad.”

• Emily (HOSM), Santa Clara

“I am grateful for the opportunity to grow close to new friends and explore a different culture.”

• Kyle (Handyman), Sligo (Originally Minneapolis)

“I am thankful for the people in Delaware who make it feel like my second home!”

• Ellie, Newark

“I’m thankful for a job I really enjoy and that gives me the opportunity to travel and learn a lot, and I’m thankful for good cafes in Sligo.”

• Kristie (Chappie), Sligo (Originally Plano)

“I’m extremely thankful for technology this year that has allowed me to stay in touch with my best friend who’s in Ireland (any guesses who?), my parents, my little sister, and boyfriend who are all in Utah, and all my other friends spread out across the country and globe like in LA, Chicago, London. It’s nowhere near as great as being in person with the ones I love most, but it’s better than all the long distance relationships 50 years ago!!!”

• Julia (Tajin), San Francisco

“Things I’m grateful for: Emily’s healthy pregnancy, Daisy, Padres improbable playoff run, Friends, Family.” (fr fr no cap)

• Michael (SM), Santa Clara

“DANCE!”

• Taylor, Seattle

“First, I am incredibly grateful for having the best family, boyfriend and friends. Second, I am immensely thankful for my job, because it has introduced me to some amazing people and allowed me to see parts of the world I’ve never thought I would see.”

• Jackie (IrishJacqui), Sligo (Originally Chino Hills)

“I’m thankful for surviving cancer thanks to the amazing medical staff at Keck and the support and prayers of my family and friends.”

• Rick, Carlsbad

“I am thankful for my parents.”

• Kyle, Lowell

“This year I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to see my cousins after 6 years of being apart and that I can easily see the rest of my extended family! I am also grateful for the new friends I have met in Ireland who have been so welcoming and have helped me feel at home in a new city where I didn’t know a single soul.”

• Steph, Dublin (Originally Round Lake)

“For the roof over my head!”

• Sylvie, Dothan

“Dad having cancer this year is the scariest thing we as a family have ever been through. I felt God’s comforting presence around us the whole time helping Dad , helping all of us, guiding us as a family, helping Dad make the right decisions on what to do. I’m thankful that Dad is cancer free and I’m thankful that God blessed our family. On a selfish note – I’m thankful Blue Bloods wasn’t cancelled.”

• Kathy, Carlsbad

“There’s two parts to what I’m most thankful for. First and foremost, I got engaged and I get to marry my best friend in the entire world!! I am so unbelievably excited and thankful to get to go through each and every day with Steven by my side. He’s shown me what unconditional love is and I couldn’t be more thankful that our paths crossed 4 years ago. The second part is all thanks to meeting and falling for Steven – the Krouse family. I am so incredibly thankful that I get to join this family!! The entire family – his parents, sister, aunts, uncles and cousins – have all welcomed me with open arms and included me from day one. They have already brought so much love and joy into my life, as well as tons of laughs, unforgettable memories and a few new concert buddies!! I don’t think I will ever be able to put into words how thankful I am or how much it means to me that I get to be a part of the Krouse family. There’s a lot to be thankful for, but Steven and his family are at the top of my list :)”

• Emma, Costa Mesa

“My Mammy’s unconditional love.”

• Lisa, Stugis (Originally Ireland)

“I am grateful for family traditions. Traditions always makes me think of family or the friend you did it with. It warms my heart to continue the traditions and the smiles it brings me when I think of them. Some of my favorite traditions: Battalions Yo!, French onion dip for Uncle Dan,  Die Hard on Christmas Day, and all the special ones around Thanksgiving.”

• Peach, Carlsbad

“Getting to know you! And my baby boy.”

• Tais, Chandler

“This year I am thankful for family and how close we all are, planning for Emma and my wedding made me realize that all of the Krouse clan is wanting to come no matter where or when and they will all come.”

• Steven, Costa Mesa

“Our big, wonderful family!”

• Kim, Orange County

“I’m thankful that I had the opportunity to go on a girl’s trip to Maui with the most fun and inspiring group of girls! We had the best trip and I learned to surf for the first time!”

• Kayley, Los Angeles

 And now since it’s my blog post and I can do whatever I want, I am going to break my own rule and spend a whole dang paragraph talking about what I am thankful for in 2022.

When I look back on this year, I am just overwhelmed with how much warmth and light there was, and that it showed up in so many different forms. First and foremost, I am thankful that my dad is officially cancer free! I am thankful for Emily Abbate and the Hurdle podcast for empowering me and giving me a sense of purpose when I really needed it. I am thankful for the opportunity to live in a new country and a job that is challenging and rewarding, for having this blog as a creative outlet and for every single person who has read one of my posts, and for my big, crazy family because I truly believe all 60-something of us are one of a kind in the absolute best way. And obviously most importantly, I am thankful for my new concert buddy for scoring Taylor Swift concert tickets (#IYKYK).

Ultimately, though, I think the thing that I keep coming back to is the kindness people have shown me this year – my lab family in Arizona for welcoming me with open arms, my Sligo(ish) squad for being my home away from home, the Newfound Book Club for being such positive, inspiring lights of humans, the Krouses for teaching me the importance of family, Tajin for time and time again being a true friend, and for the Big Rolling Turds for loving me unconditionally, no matter where in the world I am. I am who I am today because of every single one of these people and I am constantly amazed at the capacity in which they show kindness to me and those around them.

So yes, I’m sad that I won’t be home for Thanksgiving, and that I am still waiting to get back use of my washing machine and dishwasher. It’s impossible, though, to not have the fullest of hearts going into this November 24^th because this is a beautiful life I get to live due to the amazing people I get to share it with, no matter if near or far away.

With that I hope you have the Happiest of Thanksgivings and give your loved ones an extra squeeze for me, I promise you won’t regret it.