Thankful: pleased, expressing gratitude and relief
Easter has come and gone, and for many of us, we remember how thankful we are for all the things we have in our life, the favors people have done for us and the blessings we have around us. For the last five days, I’ve been spending time with family who visited from out of town for a long holiday weekend. And I am thankful to them for the great experiences we all had together.
Although I grew up in New York, it was not “the city” I was raised in, as I lived in the suburbs, Long Island, and had spent the first 30 years of my there. I moved into Brooklyn for about a year, and I lived in San Francisco for about a year, but otherwise, I hadn’t spent much time in a big city, especially NYC, other than commuting to/from for work for 5 years, and the occasional event or dinner with colleagues or friends. Since I moved into NYC 5 years ago TODAY, I’ve had a lot of catching up to do on all the NY experiences. And while I’ve accomplished a lot, seen a tremendous amount, and had several quintessential experiences over those years, the last 5 days was a whirlwind tour of NYC from the eyes of many family members who have either never been here, or only stopped in for a day or two. Plus there were kids on this trip, so it was all about ensuring they had the perfect NYC trip to remember. And so did I… hence why I am thankful for it today.
Between the Statue of Liberty (which I had never been to in my 40 years), to the Central Park Boat House and a row boat ride on a lake (which I had not ever done before in NYC) and to walking around Chinatown, I was full of new NYC fun in a group setting surrounded by tons of people. Yes, there were a few moments where my head screamed “too many people around us,” but seeing the kids experience it first hand, plus some of the adults, was a memorable treasure. Running around on subways, trains , cabs and walking for 14 hours each day was tiring, but extremely fun. We laughed, cried, got sick (some just can’t take the cab ride!) and tried so many new things. I never picked up a book or watched TV the entire time, a rarity for me, but my imagination was fully alert.
Growing up so close to the city, but spending so little time in it never seemed odd to me. It was an hour train ride away, and I wasn’t big on crowds, so I never felt like I missed anything. Seeing new things as an adult is probably a different experience, one still very memorable and amazing… and being able to share it with loved ones is a rewarding gift. And so, while I am thankful for so many things in my life, having people whom you enjoy being around, celebrating an Easter holiday with family on both my side and my significant other’s side (for the first time together!) makes you see so many parts of life that I wish everyone had available to them. But not everyone does, which is why I am thankful to have these opportunities, to build relationships, savor memories and make plans to do it again in another city… just to see if we can make it even better.
We all say thank you. And sometimes we take a moment to think about what it is we are thankful for, but it often becomes just a habit of saying we appreciate something. Instead, we need to take a little time to remember what it is that we are happy about. What memory did we create. What feelings do we have. Why do we want to say thank you. What can we do besides just use the words.
Is it a hug? A kiss? A picture? A memory book? A letter? A reminder phone call? Posting on social media? Or just expressing it in words like I’m doing today. And though none of them read this blog (that I know of!), I hope some day, they will stumble across this and realize I’m talking about them… and everything we shared this last week. THANK YOU.
These shibas look like Ryder, my 10 year-old shiba inu.
Don’t ever forget the little things. Always remember to share what you love with your family and friends. And don’t mind me being a little sentimental and thankful today for getting a gift I hadn’t even realized I needed.
About Me & the “365 Daily Challenge”
I’m Jay. I am 40 and live in NYC. By profession, I work in technology. By passion, I work in writing. I’ve always been a reader. And now I’m a daily blogger. I decided to start my own version of the “365 Daily Challenge” where since March 13, 2017, I’ve posted a characteristic either I currently embody or one I’d like to embody in the future. 365 days of reflection to discover who I am and what I want out of life.
The goal: Knowledge. Acceptance. Understanding. Optimization. Happiness. Help. For myself. For others. And if all else fails, humor. When I’m finished in one year, I hope to have more answers about the future and what I will do with the remainder of my life. All aspects to be considered. It’s not just about a career, hobbies, residence, activities, efforts, et al. It’s meant to be a comprehensive study and reflection from an ordinary man. Not a doctor. Not a therapist. Not a friend. Not an encyclopedia full of prior research. Just pure thought, a blogged journal with true honesty.
Join the fun and read a new post each day, or check out my book reviews, TV/Film reviews or favorite vacation spots. And feel free to like, rate, comment or take the poll for each post.