"And I always find, always find, always find something wrong." - Kanye West and Pusha T, Runaway
Today I am alive. Awake before the sun comes up. Coffee is brewed but not for me. The coffee drinker is asleep in the next room. In a few hours, I will see my parents. We will eat and laugh and have conversations about life and weddings and religion and careers and I'm sure I will feel awkward at least a couple times. I will talk with my sister and grandmother by choice. I'll probably talk with others out of obligation. I'll be grateful for it all.
There's money in my bank account. I go to a job that more days than not is a delight. We make stuff that entertains kids of all ages. Yay, right? And I get paid handsomely for the privilege. I got an office this year. With a fridge. I love that damn fridge. I work with incredibly intelligent people who are passionate about what they do. And when people ask me what I do, I get to point them here. I'm grateful for that.
When I think about my friends, I often think about trips to Disneyland or Austin. These are the places where we often congregate and connect and fall in love with each other all over again. This year there has been an awful lot of Disneyland (and can we take a moment to be grateful for Soarin' and Midway Mania and the awe-inspiring World of Color and the totally weird but super-fun GlowFest and elecTRONica?) but in 2010, Austin was replaced with New Orleans. Twice we went and twice we went with friends. The first time we brought a crowd to build houses at the start of the humid season. The second we went to celebrate 15 years of romantic love between a couple of us. Each time was filled with good food, good drink, and great company. I am grateful for the fellowship.
And then there are those who I have only seen virtually this year. Relationships that are no less meaningful. Often, to those folks I have turned in weak moments. I rarely have crises of faith or am immersed in self-doubt but when I did, an email or an IM or a text from or to a friend in a far off land resulted in a fortification of the soul. I am grateful for your kindness to me when I most needed it.
Tiffany B Brown. For every moment of our year, every single one, I am grateful. I am honored that I have the chance to grow up, grow old, explore this world, and share the rest of my days with you.
I woke up this morning and life was still beautiful.
Thank you.
Happy Thanksgiving.
