Giving Thanks (#1378)

Topics/tags: Autobiographical

It’s Thanksgiving. It’s a good day to reflect back on the many things I’m thankful for. There are many. And it’s not hard to come up with them. Every night, I give thanks to G-d. I don’t know whether or not they exist, but I’d like to believe. And it doesn’t hurt to reflect back on the good things in my life.

I give thanks for the day. Every day. Not all days are good. Some are surprisingly bad. But I appreciate the opportunity to experience the world and the people in it.

I give thanks for my more than thirty-seven years with an incredibly wonderful woman. I wish we’d had more time together. But we had a lot. And I’m thankful for the memories we made together.

I’m thankful for our three sons, who are wonderful young men. I’m proud of them. I also worry about them.

I give thanks for the many people in my life. Family, friends, colleagues (who are also friends), students, alumni, and more. I appreciate the care I get from them. I appreciate that they allow me to show care for them. I also appreciate the other aspects of our relationships, talking, playing, whatever.

I’m grateful for the world. While so many things are problematic, there’s still beauty and love throughout.

I’m fortunate for, well, being fortunate. I have a comfortable life. I have resources available to me. I don’t have to make hard choices that I know many others have to make.

I’m thankful for my job. I truly love what I do, and I get compensated well for doing it. As I’ve said in a promotional video for the College, I get to make a positive difference in the lives of incredible young adults. I also appreciate that I have a lot of autonomy.

There are times that I also make a virtual thankfulness journal. Most frequently, that’s in partnership with a friend. It’s fairly easy to find something new to be thankful about each day. However, I’m most thankful for the things I’ve covered already: my time with Michelle, my kids, the people around me.

Version 1.0 of 2025-11-27.