ten reasons to be thankful

november may be the month of thanksgiving, but gratitude is never out of season.

1. ben still tells me he loves me. even if he's just taking skippy outside, he always tells me he loves me before he closes the door. i hope he never grows out of that!

2. my family. i may not always get along with them and sometimes i take them for granted, but i really do appreciate them more than i can say.

3. my friends. again, sometimes i take them for granted, but the good ones (you!) are always there when i need them. i can laugh and cry with my friends. life just wouldn't be the same without friends like you.

4. although i don't have my dream job and some mornings i dread going to work, i really am thankful for my job. especially in this economy!

5. i live in a developed nation and am not struggling day to day to provide for my family. i have boundless opportunities available to me, i only need to seek them.

6. i can read. reading brings me so much pleasure and a deeper understanding of the world around me, real and imagined.

7. avocados, enough said.

8. washington really is a beautiful state to live in. the regions are so diverse; i could go from desert to rainforest in a matter of hours. and to be honest, spokane really isn't that bad... on most days

9. music - music is something that moves me deep inside of myself. it is a salve, a retreat and a blessing.

10. although sometimes i long for simplicity and wish life could be as easy as black and white, i truly enjoy consciousness: the ability to think, create and feel emotion. i love knowledge and thought, the complexities of existence. i cherish my existential crises.