A Gay(ish) Thanksgiving

Actually, I've never really known the history of thanksgiving. (I know I can google it, but well, I don't care about its origin much.) But I know about being thankful, and maybe it's what got me through the hard times in my life. I'm thankful for lots of things everyday, but it's nice to have a special day to count my blessings.

The gayish thing is actually only accidentally, because these two days near thankgiving someone happened to mention something about gay people (and therefore reminds me of being gay). One was when a co-worker of mine pointed out that someone is gay. He just said it out of the blue and I really had no idea what brought it up. He reffered to the gay guy as 'sick', but when I told him jokingly (and sarcastically, as a matter of fact) that he shouldn't go near him so that he wouldn't be 'infected' by the 'sickness', my friend didn't look happy at all. I don't know if his stand on gay issues, but I think he's one of those people who thinks that gay people are crazy/sick, but it's okay to be friends with them. Today another co-worker of mine brought up the gay issue again when I mentioned that I was in the Netherlands last year. She said, "Oh, isn't that where gay marriages are legal?" Again, I didn't pursue the issue further so I don't know where she stands on the issue, but she doesn't add any disgusted commentary so I take that as a good sign. I would love to be out at work like some of my co-workers, but the fact that I work with a family member makes it impossible. I have no problem being out among strangers, but having to face my family... well, I haven't had enough motivation to do that. I have a massive numbers of families who loves to stuck their noses in other people's business, and it ain't fun, although sometimes it's useful.

Anyway, it's not a time to complain about things, it's time to be thankful. So here are the things and people I'm thankful for.

1. I'm thankful for my family, both the biological and the non-biological ones.
2. I'm thankful for my health both physically and mentally.
3. I'm thankful for my beautiful hometown which I love more than any other place on earth.
4. I'm thankful for my friends who bring joy into my life.
5. I'm thankful for Xena & Ryan who taught me to accept myself as I am and be proud of who I am.
6. I'm thankful for 22, my crush for four years who made me do things I never dreamed I could, and even though I didn't get her I got to improve myself to be who I am today.
7. I'm thankful for Melissa, who amazes me daily with her music and herself, and to remind me to always be strong, speak true, and spread the peace.
8. I'm thankful for Ellen, who brings laughter to my life when I needed it most, and still continue to make me laugh. I'm also thankful that she brings such a positive visibility to gay women everywhere.
9. I'm thankful for beautiful couples that I adore, for they give me hope that soulmates really do exist and that I could build a beautiful family with the woman of my dream.
10. I'm thankful for the ability to be thankful and content. I've seen successful people who were ambisious and always wanting more - yes, they are rich and famous and everything, but they're never satisfied and therefore they're never really happy.

Above all I think I have to give thanks for love, for being the force to defeat fear, for being the source of hope and peace, for being the roots of all that is good. Happy thanksgiving y'all!