Thankfulness

November is a month of thanks for many Americans, as we celebrate the day that history remembers that Native Americans didn't let white settlers die of starvation by helping them farm the land. Despite the potential for quite a bit of controversy in the origins of the holiday, the spirit is something I feel that we all need a little more of in our lives. With the invention of social networks, people tend to spend the month of November posting thirty things that they are grateful for. I decided that perhaps a better way to do it was this, a simple blog post about the things I'm most grateful for in my life.

1. I am thankful for my parents and their trust in me. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be able to pursue my dreams in the States. I wouldn't be so close to having my teaching certification and a job doing something I love.
2. I am incredibly thankful for my boyfriend. He's been my best friend for a long time, but to know that I continue to have his support means the world to me. I would have given up on a couple of dreams a long time ago if it weren't for him.
3. I am grateful for my mentor, who continues to push me to do the best I can, even when I'm having a rough day. He knows that I need the extra kick in the butt sometimes, and he definitely gives it to me. He's also become a second father to me, looking out for me when I let him.
4. I am so thankful for my friends and their parents. When my family left last year, I was stubborn and didn't like to ask people for help. Despite that, though, these people helped me, took me in, and really made sure that I was doing everything I needed to survive.
5. I am grateful for my puppy. Although Monster is quite a large puppy, she's still a puppy, and she loves me unconditionally. We occasionally have moments when I have to yell at her, but those are few and far between. In the end, I know that she loves me and she knows that I love her.
6. I am thankful for my dance partners. Whether they're simply social partners, or we're gearing up for performances and competitions, I have some amazing friends in these talented people. Without them, I would be only half the dancer that I am.
7. I am thankful for books. Books are worlds in which I can escape for a time. Whether it is as a writer or a reader of said books, they're always there when I need away.
8. I am grateful for my friends who have elected to go into the Army or the Air Force. A lot of us met that way, and managed to keep in touch. Knowing that they followed in their parents' footsteps and are serving this country means a lot to me. They work hard so I can sit on my butt all day and write.
9. I am thankful for cookies. What's life without a good dessert? It's the little things in life that make it what it is. Without cookies, life would be a lot less sweet.
10. I am grateful for all of you who are reading this. I don't know who you are, or what you do, but that you read my babbling means a lot. So, thank you.