What Are You Thankful for This Holiday Season?

For me the holidays are always a little harder than they should be. I lost my mother shortly after coming home after Marine Boot in early 1996 and then my father a few days before my birthday in 1998. Sometimes it seems like just yesterday I was giving them that last hug and saying I will see them tomorrow. Other times it seems like a life time ago. I do have things to be thankful for though.

My father taught me a trade with sheet metal and both him and my mother fostered my reading and writing, even when I could barely do either. My father helped me publish my first poetry book at the age of 15 or so. I was able to sell it in gas stations around the county we lived in - never made a lot of money but I just enjoyed knowing people actually bought my writing, even more that they never returned it for a refund.

My mother taught me to be kind when I didn't want to be and to tolerate the opinion of others.

Both helped me learn a love of nature as well. Always finding time to take my siblings and me to a park, a river to swim, etc.

Today, I have a small family of my own, a wife and three four legged kids. We are about to start our lives on our land and I hope to some day be able to pass along my experiences to the next generation to live on this planet. Good and bad. lol

As we enter the holiday season, what are you thankful for?