Thanksgiving Reflections: Embracing Gratitude and Growth

When I think of Thanksgiving I picture my family gathering at the buffet table, anxiously waiting their turn to pile up: turkey, candied yams, my grandma’s stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, salad, and a king’s Hawaiian roll—onto their plates.  That’s our holiday menu, traditional, classic.  The type of recipes passed down from generation to generation.   

But this year, I’m not just thinking about the food or spending time with family.  I’m reflecting on all of the progress I’ve made on my healing journey so far.  Being grateful is an understatement. I’m more than thankful, I’m proud.  Proud of the person that I’m becoming, and proud of the strength I have to keep going.  I never knew of much inner strength I had until I really started to truly see myself.    

Here’s what I’m grateful for:

Looking at myself in a new light:  

For most of my life, I belittled myself.  I’d question every little thing that I did, everything I said, and how I responded.  I had very little self-worth and honestly just felt so ashamed of myself all of the time for being “weird” or “different.” But now, I see the strengths I used to believe where flaws—empathy, thoughtfulness, sensitivity.  I now embrace them and think of them as something powerful and real. 

The daily accomplishments I make when no one sees 

When I get out of bed, get dressed, brush my teeth, take a shower, and eat, I pat myself on the back.  Sometimes these basic tasks are hard for me to do daily.  I’ll either forget entirely, or just not have the energy or motivation to do it.  Now, whenever I finish a project, clean up my space, or go to the grocery store without getting overstimulated, I feel really good about myself. 

The people who stayed in my life

I can’t reiterate enough just how much it means to me when people see me for who I am and accept me with love and care.  I used to think that no one really truly cared about me, but I’ve been proven wrong time and time again.  There is a wonderful support system I have in friends and family, and I couldn’t be more grateful to them for being in my life and staying.  They help me through the good and the bad times and don’t judge me or make me feel small. For all of you, thank you.

Unseen Readers

And of course, I’m grateful for you, and this community.  Thank you for your stories, your reflections, and your support. Writing and sharing my stories with you has been a healing journey for me this year.  I hope this holiday, you experience what’s right for you.  Whether it’s celebrating, resting, or simply existing. 

Happy Thanksgiving, from my heart to yours.  I just want to remind you that you’re doing better than you think you are!

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity… it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”

Melody Beattie