Being Thankful

Okay - I started this blog and then took a break. I had some personal issues to deal with, but I am back.

If anyone keeps up with Coralius' blog, you know that back at the beginning of January my cousin was one of the men who died in the Sago Mine in WV. When I was a child and teenager I was very close to him. He and one of my uncles were like brothers. I have always been very close to that uncle too. I live far away from them now, but I still love them. This was a difficult thing to deal with, and I wasn't sure how to write about or share it.

In watching all the media coverage of that tragedy, I wonder how many people paid attention to the climate of that area. And, I don't mean the weather. Journalists repeated many times that to make a decent living in WV you either have to have a college degree or work in the mines. That area of WV, my home, survives mostly on the mining and timber industrues. (The mines make more money though because of the risk factor.)

My father worked in the timber industry, which can be described as seasonal depending upon which part of the lumber production industry you work in. However, we raised and butchered our own livestock, we raised a garden, we harvested fruit, etc. I learned to can and freeze food as a child.

My parents were determined that we all (my siblings and I) receive a college education. They worked hard to give us that opportunity, one that was not afforded to them when they were young. Our children will, hopefully, never have to know how to butcher an animal or preserve fruit in order to survive.

My life wasn't nearly as easy as those of some of my friends, but we always had what we needed; and we always had each other. We always had love. And, for so much, I am thankful.

I am so thankful. (Not to any deity in particular or at all)

I am thankful that I DID have to work when I was growing up. This taught me to take pride in a hard days work and the rewards that come with it. It taught me to appreciate things that I have.
I am thankful that I had to work to put myself through college. I can truly say that I did it on my own. I earned scholarships and worked various part-time jobs. Other than the occassional gas money to come pick me up, my college education was not placed on my parents' shoulders.

I am thankful that my parents instilled in me the value of an education and encouraged my desire to read and learn. I learned that the imagination is a wonderful place to visit and has so much to offer. I learned the beauty and power of words.

I am thankful that my parents taught me the values of people and family and history and heritage. Without knowing where you come from, you truly cannot know where you need to go. Without respecting what and who brought you forth, you cannot appreciate what it took to get you here and what you, yourself, are capable of.

I am thankful that I have a husband who respects me as a person, trusts my judgement, believes in my intelligence and capabilities, and values my opinions. Without him I would have never learned that it is important to take care of myself first -- that if I don't take care of me I cannot care for others.

I am thankful that I have a brother and sister that I love and love me. I can depend on and trust them. We grew up not only as siblings but as friends. I am thankful for my brother's wife and son who have brought happiness and love into all our lives. I am thankful for my sister's fiance who was my friend before he was hers.

I am thankful for the in-laws that love me as though I were their own and have accepted me lovingly into their family.

I am thankful that I have friends with whom I can be honest, even when we don't agree, and they will always love and respect me.

I am thankful for the education I received. This will help me on my journey to be more than what I am. This will help me give more to our children.

Without these factors in my life I would be a different person. And, contrary to a decade ago, I like who I am. I am not perfect, and I have bad days. But, I do the best I can; and that is pretty darn good.

I am thankful that my father's doctors are confident that his cancer can be "cured" with radiation and chemotherapy. It won't be pretty, but it is better than it could have been.

There are still things that I (we) want: a bigger house, less(no) debt, more education, more time with loved ones, and, most of all, a family. These are life goals that we have yet to achieve, but for all that we already have --I am truly thankful.