Being Grateful

This Christmas, like the last few were spent away from my family. In 2007, I was at work. I was working for a homeless shelter in Nashville and just begun the job 2 months prior and did not have enough hours or money saved to travel to Chicago. In 2008, I was in my village in Malawi crying in my chim(toilet) as I spoke with my family while fellow volunteers were in my house falalala-ing away. In 2009, I spent the Christmas morning with my bestfriend Eunice(a primary school teacher in my village) and helped her prepare for her wedding, her mother had past away and in the tradition she was being pampered and prepared by the groom's family. I will never forget her telling me how much she appreciated having me there not only to share that moment but to be a friend amidst people she really didn't know. I then spent 6 hours hitchhiking down the M-1, in the process saving the life of a turtle, trying to make it to the capitol in time to have Christmas dinner with my closest PC friends. In 2010, I spent it with the women at the transitional shelter I work for. Although I would love to spend the holiday with my traditional family doing our Christmas tradition (dinner in Greektown then gift opening at midnight), I was right where I was supposed to be. I'm a firm believer that God (or whomever you believe in), puts you where you're supposed to be and with the people with whom you're supposed to be with. All of my Christmas holidays away from my traditional family were spent with my non-traditional families that have loved and cared for me in the same manner my family has. I'm not sure what my presence has done for those that I have shared Christmas with, but I know that they were all grateful for it. This Christmas, like the past few, I was working. My mom now lives in DC and we got to spend some of the holiday together, but because of our work schedules not as much time as I would have liked. Despite being away from my family, I'm grateful for those that have opened their hearts, homes, and moments to me. I'm grateful that I did not have to spend this holiday on the streets somewhere, cold and lonely. I am grateful for all the nice, thoughtful gifts I received despite not asking for anything. Everything I received is something that I needed and I'm sure God had a hand in that as well. I'm grateful that I can pick up the phone, send a text or dial a number to hear the voices of those I love, I'm grateful for ALL the blessings I have received and continue to receive. I'm grateful that God puts me right where i'm supposed to be and with those that I'm supposed to be with.

Hope this holiday has been filled with joy, love, peace and happiness. I hope that wherever you may have spent it, you realize the blessing that is there and that you are grateful for it. This will probably be my last post for the year (unless something really comes to my mind). 2011 has been filled with a lot of great memories, challenges, successes and defeats. I am grateful for the lessons learned through it all and i'm looking forward to what 2012 has in store for me.

Love, love, love and peace during this holiday season!