I am Thankful

This Thursday in America we will celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a time when most of us get together with our friends and families for Thanksgiving dinner. It is a time to be thankful for what we have.

In honor of this holiday, I thought I would take a few moments to tell you about all the things for which I am thankful.




Family
I am thankful for the family I call mine. Growing up, I was blessed with a family that loved me, protected me, and would do absolutely anything for me. I always felt safe in my family. We are by no means a perfect family...we surely have our up and downs. The one thing that remains constant is the unconditional love I have come to realize exists in this family.


That unconditional love has been proven this year when I came out to my aunt and my dad. They both have shown nothing but love and acceptance.


There are times when I get frustrated and will complain about my family. I often joke that I can only take my family in small doses (true, totally true!), and that is the reason I moved away from them. I know they will always be here for me when I need them. In return, I am always going to be there for them.


As a teacher I have seen, first hand, the painful and awful lives that some of my students live. They did not choose the life the lead, and my heart aches to think how unsafe/unloved they can be. I wish I could offer them my family, so that they would know what a loving family is.

I am so very thankful for my 9 neices and nephews. They range in age from 1 year to 13 years old. The majority of my neices and nephews are bi-racial. I am thankful for that. The fact that their fathers are black has been a blessing in my family. I come from a very Old South-type family. My grandparents were not necessarily racist, but the prescribed to the old south ideas...that blacks should marry blacks and whites should marry whites. When my neices and nephews came along, my family was force to change their outlooks and beliefs on interracial relationships. Plus, they are absolutely adorable. I love getting to see them and chasing them around the house. I love being Uncle J.




Friends
In an effort to insure I thank those who have made the most of my life, I want to take some time to individually let you know what I want to tell you.


Cal - Cal has been in my life since the 6th grade. Good grief, that is 20 years ago. (feeling old!) We have been at each other's side through everything. Even to this day, we may be miles apart, but we will be there when the other calls.


Jenny - Jenny is another who has been in my life since 6th grade. However, my friendship with Jenny did not flourish until we ended up at the same university. We became, and to this day remain, inseperable. We know so much about each other's lives...probably more than anyone else knows about us. For instance, I know behind that confident doctor exterior is an unsure, scared, indecisive little girl needing someone's hand to hold. I have always been, and will always be there. I love you Dr. J!


Ben - My roommate in college. You were an unexpected surprise and consumate friend throughout. It was awesome to share a dorm with someone who had my views on religion, moral issues, etc. You introduced me and made me part of the family. I was honored to watch you get married a few years back, and now I get to watch you become the father you were always destined to be. Take care of that little boy! Also, tell your mother I miss her. (And tell her I still have the Tennessee jacket she bought me for Christmas that first year!)


Christy - Chris, you and I have been through so much since high school. You have become so much more than a friend. I truly have always felt like your big brother. I have always been there to protect you. I got to see you finally fall in love with Jodi, and I grinned from ear to ear when you asked me to be in your wedding. Now I get to see you finally treated the way you are supposed to be treated...like a goddess!


Paul - Well, Cuz, you and I have been more like brothers than cousins. Being only a month apart in age, we got to grow up together. You were my best friend as a child. You are still a great friend now. Our lives have taken very different paths. You chose to go into the Army instead of college. You have four incredible children and a fantastic wife. I love that I get to be an "uncle" to your kids. I love them like they were my own. You know I will always be there for you and them whenever needed. I am also thankful to know that God will bring you safely home from Iraq in the upcoming weeks. You have been gone for too long, and we all miss you. Also, I can never say thank you enough for all you have done for our country. You are a hero to me and so many others.


Mikey - Though I have only known you a short time, I have spilt many details of my life to you that I have never told anyone. You were the first person to reach out to me in this blogging world. You have become a friend that I continue to confide in, even though we have never met face to face. I look forward to our continued friendship. I promise that when you come to TN, I will give you the tour of DW!


MNJ & MH - The two of you have been a bright light over the past few weeks. Getting to know you both and to meet you (Well, one of you anyway. Look out, I am coming back through there soon. We have to finally get together and go dance!) has been a true blessing and joy. You two are truly unique, and I appreciate your willingness to open up. You have three fantastic kids that are lucky to have the two of you as parents. Please continue to just be yourselves. I look forward to getting to know you all more and having you as friends in my life. And, who knows, you might find a new neighbor in the coming months. You have been warned!


Chris & Camilla - Thank you for sharing your story with me and the rest of the world. I am grateful to know you, and I look forward to continuing to learn more about you.


There are so many more of you that I wish to thank, but I am not finding the words to construct the right way to say thanks! Just know that I am glad to have each of you in my life. I would not be here without each of you...




Being a Teacher
I know I have talked about this before, but I cannot go without saying how thankful I am to have such a wonderful career. There is rarely a day that goes by that I am not working with a student. There isn't a day that I can remember not seeing that light bulb that pops in a child's head when try to solve a problem. Not a day goes by that there is not some student that comes up to hug me and/or to tell me about something that happened to them last night.

I never knew that being a teacher would make me so emotionally connected to my students and their families. I have become, in a sense, a member of some of their families. Some of the parents have become awesome friends of mine. Even a few years after they have left my class, I still get phone calls, emails, and visits from former students just to let me know how they are doing.

Next year will mark the first class of my students that will graduate high school. That's right, my kids are becoming young adults. I hope we have prepared them well for the "real world."

Being a teacher is God's gift to me by allowing me to change the world through my work with these kids.


Freedom
It may be cliche, but I am grateful for the freedoms I enjoy as a citizen of the United States. I relish in the fact I can get in my car and go wherever I may want to go at whatever time I decide. I am blessed to know I can make decisions for myself and for my life. I am able to live my life without fear of persecution for being who I am.

In my class I am constantly discussing freedom with my students. This discussion usually turns towards the freedom of religion and the right to vote. My students and I have discussed at great length the freedom for each and every person in this country to practice whatever religion their believe in and follow. We also disuss the fact the some people do not follow any religion, which is also their right. 

In our recent unit on the Greek democratic system we got into huge discussions about the right to vote. Voting is a right we have to make our voices heard. I live under the idea that if you, as an American citizen, choose not to vote then you have NO right to complain. The beauty of our democratic system is that if you don't like what is happening in our government then you have the right to vote for changes in government.  


Random Things to be Thankful For...

- Rainy days

- Tennessee Vols football (my blood runneth orange!)

- Moravian Cookies

- My restless nature

- Naps

- Goat Cheese (LOVE IT!)

- Indian Foods

- Hiking in the mountains (I know, MNJ, I don't really know what mountains are.)

- The changing of the leaf colors in the mountains.

- Music

Final Note
This post may seem sappy or insane. That is fine with me. But, this has helped me to see that I have a very fortunate life. Sometimes I may think life sucks, but I look at a list like this and I am content once again.

I am also thankful for being able to blog. I have met some truly wonderful people through this opportunity. Each of you has had some effect on my life, and I will always be greatful for that.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
- JC