The sun is just beginning to set as I drive beyond the border of my hometown, its golden rays illuminating the last of the fall leaves and shimmering on the surface of the Twin Lakes. It feels like only seconds have passed since the moment I buckled in, yet already I have reached a less familiar city, and will soon be barreling down a drab stretch of highway. It is always in this precise moment, as I leave home and drive toward my college dorm, that I am hit with an unexpected wave of homesickness. It will fade (as it usually does) once I am closer to Bowling Green, but in this moment the beauty of the setting sun paired with sad acoustics emanating from the radio creates within me a brief sense of panic, and I must ignore the urge to turn the car around.
As I’d predicted, the feeling passes. The two-hour long drive on the highway gives me a lot of time to think, to reflect. And so I do. I replay my favorite moments from the past few days. My Thanksgiving weekend was nothing short of wonderful—I was able to spend time with my boyfriend and his family, and then came home and had a second Thanksgiving feast with my own family. Not to mention the many adventures that took place in between. As the white noise of the highway lulls me into a state of drowsiness, I realize happily that I have a lot to be thankful for. For parents who do their best to ensure that I am fed, safe, and thriving; for my boyfriend who is good and kind and immeasurably supportive; for friends who remain loyal despite any amount of time or distance. There is nothing I am more thankful for than the people in my life.
In addition to the people I am lucky to call my friends and family, I’m thankful for some of life’s other, simpler joys. Long hikes in the woods and in the mountains. Journaling. Grilled cheese-and-tomato soup combos. Eyelid kisses. Watching TV from beneath thick scratchy blankets, cradling a steaming cup of coffee. A cozy outfit that fits just right. Holding a sleepy puppy and feeling a deep, pure love.
Soon I’ll be back at BSGU. I’ll pack away my things, get ready for Monday morning. Slowly the feeling of overwhelming gratitude will subside, bit by bit. But I want to make it my goal to hold on to this thankfulness for as long as I possibly can. College life can become strenuous, difficult, and sometimes even depressing, making it easy to obsess over everything that’s going wrong instead of all the things that are going right. I want to avoid that. I want to be a ray of positivity in the lives of others, and not just on the holidays that tell us to do so. So if that means helping others to see the good in their lives, or if it means simply being someone to lean on, I want to do that. Let’s strive to bring the Thanksgiving attitude into our everyday lives, and focus on being happy.
