Art

And what it has given me from the very beginning. I use my art and the art of others as a conductor of communication with other people when I'm finding it particularly difficult to express myself. Art, in any of its forms, has given me a voice when my own has gone silent. I am thankful for being able to understand it and use it as a method to cope with the world.

A Good Cup of Coffee or Tea

And the way it has taught me to find happiness in the simple things. It's true, too. Even when having the worst possible day imaginable, taking the first sip of a perfect cup of honey tea or a flawlessly crafted latte (bonus points if you made it yourself) has a special way of slowing down time and putting things right into perspective.

Flowers

And how it's impossible not to smile at the fields and fields of them as you drive past on a sunny day. As your date buys you a bouquet of them and nervously hands them over at the door. As you're a little girl again, watching your mother teach you to weave clovers into crowns. No matter how bad the day, a flower is the closest thing to a perfect little ray of sunshine.

The Night Sky

And how it never ceases to remind me just how small I am in the grand scheme of things. It's almost a comfort to know all I have to do is just look up to remember what I am a part of. When I'm in over my head, the vastness of space is ever present to remind me that it's not all about me.

My Friends

And how willing they are to drop everything to give me a hand when I need it. I don't have room in my life for people who don't truly mean something to me. When I don't have anyone, I have my best friends. The amount of support and love I have been shown over the years and especially through the last month of my life, prove to me that I am surrounded with so much love and acceptance that is hard to find anywhere else.

My Coworkers

And how I never knew the true meaning of a second family until I got my job. I almost didn't know it was allowed to be so close to the people you work with. In times of need, I can come to these people as much as I can go to my friends and I can expect to receive the same levels of support and love. I am surrounded by so many trusted adults at my job who are there to provide me with assistance and encourage me to do my best. The people are truly the best part about my job.

My Family

And the relationship I have with them. I am so very fortunate to be as close to my parents as I am, and for them to put the amount of trust in me that they do. Even when it's not always deserved. I'm thankful for my brother and the light that he brings into my life even on my darkest days. How he's six years younger than me but is still as protective over my feelings as someone who is older. I love my family for everything they push me to do and how willing they are to back me up even when they don't necessarily support the cause.

And finally...

Myself

And everything I've survived so far. So often we are busy appreciating everyone we have that we forget everything we are. It's us that carries ourselves through the fray and inevitably picks ourselves up off the ground. I've been through so much this year- some good, some bad, some ugly- but I've survived it all. And it's important I give myself credit for that.

There's a lot in our lives that we take for granted. We find joy in such simple things; things that are so simple we often forget to acknowledge them as anything worthwhile. But they mean everything to us. I've learned a lot in the past month about appreciation and gratitude and finding what truly makes one happy. So with that, I encourage everyone who reads this to take a second this holiday season and assess what makes you happiest, and go to seek more of it.