What Are You Thankful For?
In roughly 13 hours some of my family will get together. Based on history, I have a strong feeling one of my cousins will insist we go around the room and share what we are thankful for. Interestingly enough with current events there is a great deal for me to give thanks for.
With all the angst and displays of hate out there right now, my immediate sphere is surrounded by love. Literally this weekend we will be celebrating a cousin and her almost husband's love. All the while with all the arguments about America politics, the world and all that it contains I am in a family that shows and speaks of love. Many do not have such an experience and I am so grateful to have it.
Also this year I have the luxury, learning and insert many more words of curating the home I have wanted for a while. It has been an emotional roller coaster with the ride far from over. Toasting to how its journey continues.
Another continuity at our Thanksgiving dinner is likely going to be hearing the wish that myself (and other single relatives) will hopefully be accompanied next year by our spouse/fiancée/more-than-a-couple-of-dates-co-serious-relationship-partner. Note the latter description tends to play in my head as I zone out a little bit with my relatives' well meaning wishes that unintentionally infuse a feeling of definition by relationship status. The beauty is that logically I know I am more than this factor, and in my heart I believe we will find each other soon if we haven't already and make our future happen together.
Now as much as I am a believer of the "Stronger Togther," slogan participating in team sports hasn't felt so appreciative. Vivid memories of being on a little league softball team with the first base position and hoping the ball wouldn't be thrown to me come to mind in particular at the moment. Or another scenario playing basketball with even another cousin, and the basic pass resulting into a finger hairline fracture. When one has coordination challenges such as I do in life "things" simply happen.
Almost 6 years ago, I happened to come across this workout phenomena called "studio cycling" and found the outlet that I would wake up 5-something in the morning for charity events and training. Despite some uncomforting sounds coming from the bikes in my first few classes — i.e. even with the stationary status there was a horror one day the bike would take flight and based on look on instructor's face, think my few seconds of fear were appropriate — I found my way with less opportunities of injury.
Ultimately because one day I tried a Friday 6:15AM class led by Raphy and pretty instantly fell in love with his teaching style, playlists and personality. A few years later when I felt terrible walking into the class late and showed it in my body language, he would come up to me after class and essentially say to not worry about it. He would add that I was welcome into his class any time and to congratulate myself for making it there. (Side note: interesting that even though we pay for gym memberships, certain rules inspire unworthy or inferior thoughts.) This past Sunday it was a close call and I made it to his latest class. I got to move my body and release tensions and angst and get to continue to do so. And in honor of the Thanksgiving Holiday he played Rent's "Seasons of Love."
As this day of thanks gets underway I'll leave you for now with the said music video and be back with some thoughts on the seasons oriented "Gilmore Girls" Netflix multi-movie event. While I look forward to finding the little happies in coming days, can't wait to be back with the "Gilmore Girls!"
