This time of the year is always associated with gratitude, and for obvious reasons. Thanksgiving is a holiday centered around counting and celebrating your blessings. I can remember being younger and always being asked in school, “what are you thankful for?” The answers are all pretty similar; family, friends, shelter, good health, the list goes on and on. As we grow older, we learn to be grateful for the things that didn’t seem as important to us when we were kids. I’ve even noticed that the things that I’m thankful for in college are different from the things that I was thankful for in high school. But one thing is true, no matter how old you are, there are so many beautiful things to be thankful for.

First of all, I’m thankful for my support system, and I think this is typically the thing that everyone can be thankful for, at any age. I’m blessed to have wonderful friends and family who care for me endlessly and show me constant love and support. Since starting college, my support system has grown tremendously, as I have made new friends from so many various places. More than that, I can say with confidence that in college, I’ve made some of the best friends that I’ve ever had. I’m grateful that I have so many wonderful people in my life- the kind of people that remind me everyday of how blessed I am.

Another thing that I am beyond thankful for is education. Throughout high school, it was often hard to appreciate education because it seemed so tortuous at times. Even in college, there are a lot of times when I become so frustrated because of all of the work and studying, but I remind myself that I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity of education. Every time I go to class, or turn in an assignment, I am thankful that I am able to learn more each day, and pursue my career of choice through going to college. There are so many people in our world who do not have this opportunity, so I am so very grateful that I have the opportunity to get a good education.

Something else that strikes me is that I’m thankful for places. There are so many places around us, places we’ve been, places we’re going, and places we hope to go. I’m grateful for where I’m from, and I’m grateful for where I am now. More than these, I’m thankful for the places that I will go someday, even if I don’t know where that is quite yet. Places impact the very core of our being, and they impact us for the rest of our lives. I’m thankful for every place, near and far, and the beauty of all of them.

I am thankful for the little things. This world can seem so harsh and cruel at times, and it’s so important to remember that we are surrounded by blessings- the blessings of people, of opportunity, of freedom and prosperity. Every Monday, I walk to Starbucks and get a coffee, and then walk through the park, just simply basking in the overall goodness that this life holds. These walks are important because they help me refocus, and they remind me that I need to remember to be grateful, and not just when Thanksgiving rolls around. There are reminders everywhere we look, of what a blessed life that we have been given. No matter who you are, and where you come from, or where you’re going, count your blessings. Life is too short to be anything but utterly and inexplicably thankful.