Capsun's Corner – by Capsun M. Poe

Happy Thanksgiving!  May you have a great day of food and fun with family and friends.

So often, we think about what we don’t have, what we didn’t do, or something we wish we could improve.  If you’re guilty of that, as I have been many times in the past, you should write a list of the things you do like and are grateful for.

So, although one month is left in the year, here is a selection of items from my gratitude list for this year:

• First and foremost, I am grateful for my fiancee. As much as I may tease and joke about her, she truly is my strength.  She provides the sanctuary that allows me to tackle anything and everything life throws at me.  And it’s always great to celebrate and relish in the joys of life together, with the one I love.
• I have great family and friends. They give me a large support network that I can rely on to share good times, make it through sad times, and embrace everything in between.
• I appreciate my current job, employer, and co-workers tremendously. They allow me to thrive at those things that I am good at.  They invest in me and other employees.  They keep the work wife and I working together.  And, they pay a decent salary with excellent benefits, something that is very much appreciated in this down economy!
• I can breathe a sigh of relief now that my fiancee has a job. She’s the kindergarten teacher.  To do this, she had a career change that required her to quit her previous job.  So, it’s been a tight one and a half years on a single income.  Having the second income makes us feel rich.  Although I do joke with her that she makes less money now after obtaining her Master’s degree than the job she had before she quit and that required a high school diploma.  On the other hand, going to those kindergarteners everyday and seeing her teaching efforts pay off is quite rewarding – for both of us!
• America elected Barack Obama the next President of the United States! I would need pages and pages of blog space to enumerate all the reasons why this is such a great thing.
• Finally, I am grateful to have this blog and all of you as my readers. Special shout out to PodCamp Hawaii, its organizers, and the attendees.  They have contributed so much to my growth as a blogger.  Any negative issues are my fault and not theirs.

If you find yourself feeling down or blue, take some time to look at the things, people, and events in your life (both big and small) that you are grateful for.  Believe me, I always feel better after doing this list, no matter how low I may have felt before composing it.

Mahalo!

Special note:  As an indigenous person, I must mention that not all of us celebrate Thanksgiving with the same reverence as most.  While I feel it is important to note this on Thanksgiving Day, I have placed this at the end of this post to separate it from my more positive reflections above.

Tags: 2008, gratitude, thanksgiving