This is an interesting holiday. While based on skewed historical accounts, its' modern meaning is something that I take seriously.

For me, Thanksgiving is a time when I get to take a day to enjoy the 'now'. I'm not good at this on a day to day basis. Only a few days of the year am I able to see extended family, all together. I don't get to see my younger cousins often, or my grandparents, or aunts and uncles. Not only is this a side effect of growing up, but it's also an unfortunate aftereffect of moving away for school. Social media and technology have helped this distance, however, I'm one of those old fashioned people who appreciates face to face socialization.

Looking back, I would say my favorite things about holidays were sitting in on listening to my family. I laughed, and I tried to figure out what the adults were talking about. I loved getting together with my cousins; playing, laughing, sneaking extra pie, eventually falling asleep out of plain exhaustion from all the happenings. I miss that.

I still love listening to the discussions. I love getting the opportunity to partake in them as an adult, it's weird, but it's good. I love getting together with my cousins, I'm not sure if we'll ever be grown ups when in each others company. It's wonderful to see my younger cousins, and passing on my little tricks to sneak extra dessert from the kitchen without your parents or grandma catching you (although she's the last one who would care, if I'd only known then).

Something I've learned this past year is how many things in my life I have to be grateful for. Mostly though, I'm thankful for the people in my life. I have the awesome privilege to have a family that not only have provided for my basic needs, but have parented and loved me unconditionally. I also have a family that I genuinely miss hanging out with. I have been so homesick this year, it's ridiculous. I actually miss having my brother tease me.

My extended family is just as important to me. Grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, you name it. I've got a highly populated village. There is not a shortage of family, and I wouldn't change that for the world.

My friends have become my family. I've got a handful of people who have been with me through laughter and tears, some of them have even lived with me. I've even become close with their families. I have some friends that are scattered across the country, but nonetheless, they are my family. I have had the awesome luck to have friends that are brutally honest, loyal, loving, supportive, understanding, funny, and luckily understand my sarcasm through texts.

I've learned various lessons this year, I'd say the biggest one is that the most basic needs in life are what you should be grateful for. Somehow, I got lucky enough to be gifted a large and great support system that take care of me in every way that I need.

That is what I'm thankful for, this Thanksgiving.