I never say it enough, though I really should. It’s just two words, two syllables. Thank you. Through the chaos of life, I realize that we often get caught up in the motions. We forget to stop; we forget to breathe; we forget to just take in all the beautiful things that surround us and say thank you. So, though it may be late, there’s a lot that I am thankful for.

1. I am thankful for God. All year long, He never gives up on us. All year long, He doesn’t turn away just because we forget to thank Him for all that He does. But, truly, He deserves the greatest thanks of all. His endless love for me will never fail to put me in awe. He guides my feet and gives me purpose when all else seems lost. He shines the light when I seemed to have dropped my flashlight in the dark neck of the woods. He loves me at my weakest just as much as my strongest. I know that I don’t say it enough, but, God, I am thankful for You and Your mercy.

2. My family is not perfect, not even close. We argue, we give each other the silent treatment, but, at the end of the day, we love. They are my biggest supporters and biggest lovers. Luckily, they are forced to love me no matter how many mistakes I make. For eighteen years they have put up with my tears, my laughs, my jokes, and my mess ups, but they never fail to stand by my side. If it weren’t for them, I don’t think that I would be able to be where I am today. As cheesy as that is, it’s true. They’re family… they were there since the beginning, and they never left. For that, I am forever thankful.

3. You know you want to wear the ivy, so you gotta gotta go aphi. Words honestly cannot describe how happy I am for my sisters. In college, I believe that it is so important to find where you belong and the people who help make you the best you that you can be. For me, that was in joining alpha phi. I have found girls that I have already grown to love so much. They never fail to brighten my day, and, with them, I am always having such a great time. I am so thankful that these girls were brought into my life, and I am so excited to see what the world has in store for us.

4. Netflix. Netflix. Netflix. It’s so great that I had to say it three times. I think that I can officially say that I am in a very healthy, happy relationship with Netflix. We get to see each other at least 3 times a day, and we spend about 6 hours with each other. Thanks to Netflix, I am never lonely. Netflix also never argues back with me when I want to watch something. It’s so perfect. I think that I have fallen in love.

5. You are as good as the company you keep, so I guess it’s a good thing that I have such amazing friends. Over time, I have had my fair share of making friends and drifting from friends. However, I have been given the greatest gift of having some friends that never left. Days wouldn’t be the same without them to share endless laughter with. I know that I can always call them up or randomly send them a text and nothing would have changed. The many thanks that I have for them are much more than simple words could say.

6. If I could dance all the way through life, I really think that I would. Dance has become such a big passion of mine, and without it I think that I would be lost. It keeps me sane when the world around me is spinning so fast. It holds me at the seams when I feel like I am falling apart. Dance gives me a way to speak without knowing which words to say. Nothing could ever beat the feeling of stepping out onto the stage/field. I’m giving a huge thanks to dance because it taught me who I was when all the odds were stacked up against me. It taught me the true importance of having the passion for something that it sets your heart on fire, and you can see it in your eyes.