what I'm thankful for this year

Photo by Jeremy Gallman

Next to Easter, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Both holidays don't require gifts. Their whole purpose is to get together with your loved ones and eat A LOT of food. Of course, there's the whole thing about Jesus rising from the dead and the British and Native Americans coming together for a feast, but both of those things probably didn't happen.

But what does happen, without fail, every year is my family getting together to eat lots of food and laugh and then complain about how we over-ate.

I'm going over to my aunt's in a few hours, so, for now, I'll make a list of just a few things I'm thankful for. 

1. the Hannah Montana movie (it's on right now and I'm reminded that it's a cinematic masterpiece)
2. country music
3. my dad
4. wood burning stoves
5. books (currently reading Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver)
6. secondhand books that don't cost more than $1
7. international friends that call to wish me a Happy Thanksgiving (isn't that the most thoughtful thing you've ever heard!?)
8. the fact that I can say I have "international friends"
9. long email chains with aforementioned friends
10. 61% of Australia that voted in favor of same-sex marriage
11. Niall Horan's album
12. Mary J. Blige
13. my legs. they took me around 18 countries in 2017.
14. my chacos, who touched the ground in those 18 countries. 
15. my education
16. the privilege to travel
17. air-conditioning
18. dogs
19. science and modern medicine 
20. plans for the near-future 

No matter where you are in the world, I hope you eat good food and hug someone you love today.