Thankful

... First and foremost, for my incredible circle of girlfriends. They are amazing women in their own right and I would be grateful for the good luck to call them my friends on that basis alone. But this year, I am especially thankful for them because they saved my life, perhaps literally. If not for their strength and love, I'm not sure how I would have made it through the first terrible weeks after Finbar left.

... For my health. Not having your health for a while makes you learn not to take it for granted. This is the healthiest I think I've been in a long time, paradoxically because of how devastated I was this summer. It forced me to take a good, hard grip on my physical health and it's paid off. I'm in terrific shape, I've lost a significant amount of weight (almost 25% of my initial weight!), and my asthma hasn't been this well under control ever. I've also gone almost two years without a bout of pneumonia, which feels like a minor miracle, especially after the horrible stretch where I got it three years in a row.

... For the opportunities I have. Not everyone gets to have the education they desire. Even though I will be in debt for the rest of my life to pay for this, I am still thankful that I've had the possibility to get this far.

... For my parents. They worry about the fact that they never had the money or the education of some of my peers' families, but I see many of my peers and classmates who are seriously messed up and unhappy because they never had the kind of love and support from their parents that I had. They put their own futures at risk to help me prepare for my own future. I hope that one day I will be able to repay that sacrifice.

... For new beginnings. And for one beginning in particular. I'm so very happy that our two planets have collided. He makes me laugh like a loon and smile so brightly that my friends say they'll have to tether me to the Earth or I'll float away soon.

... For the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, whether here in the US or elsewhere. I hope you all have as much to be thankful for as I.