To all my American friends (both in America and elsewhere) as well as all my friends in America (American or whatever), I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.
I even wish my friends abroad, who are not American, but whom like turkey – a Happy Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is a time for reflection and I am loathe to do it too frequently in public.
That said, I am going to open up a tiny bit today and talk about the things that I am thankful for.
Like, for example, I am thankful that my parents have never tried to live vicariously through me. I’ve been free to do what I want, when I want, how I want, where I want. My family has imposed few rules on me – the only one my mother has ever brought up to me, as an adult, is that I must have health insurance. And I do.
I’m thankful that I live in an era where I can travel easily throughout the world, getting to see and experience the world. On days when I am traveling and things go wrong – as they sometimes do – I try to relax and remember that In the 4.5 hours it took me to get from Berlin to London yesterday (I took the long way), 100 years ago, my steam train would probably be only partway to Hamburg. Today I can travel from Berlin to my friends and family in the States in less time the train ride would have taken from Berlin to the port in Hamburg would have 100 years ago.
Another thing that I’m grateful for is that I like my job. In my idle moments I sometimes wonder what kind of job – and what kind of life – I would have had if I’d been living a century or two ago. Usually I come to the conclusion that I would have been miserable—like most people, I’d have been a serf in an era when science wasn’t appreciated – in my worst nightmares, I would have been a Christian. And married to a woman.
Instead I get to work with interesting people and learn interesting things.
This Thanksgiving I am in London – a surprisingly high number of the last 15 Thanksgivings have been celebrated in Europe, even back when I was living in the States. I will never forget peas inside the Thanksgiving burrito that I had the first time I celebrated Thanksgiving in London.
I have no great plans for my time in London – other than seeing Book of Mormon (for the third time) and hanging out with friends. So I am thankful that I am able to enjoy life in whatever form it comes-whether living in a small town (see Laramie, Weimar) or a big city (Berlin), or spending the most American of American holidays in a foreign land.
Happy Thanksgiving!
The same to you, Adam.
May 2014 be a happy fulfilling year for you!
Amen!
Glad to hear you had a nice time to reflect on what you are thankful for! I am thankful when my friends and family are happy and I am so glad you are living the life you want:) We had a relaxing thanksgiving meal in SC. Miss you Hubby A! And as always, safe travels.