One is not necessarily a lonely number

If you've been reading my blog for awhile, you will know that holidays are just not my thing. This truly did start with depression, an eating disorder, and pure stress. And that was something like 14 years ago. Throughout the years, I've spent some holidays with my family (though that has been a rarity since graduating from college), I've volunteered, I've gone to friends' and co-workers' homes, and I've spent them alone. My parents always had a hard time with the latter one, and eventually I got to a point of saying I had an invitation somewhere just to make them feel less concerned.

However, after reading a few articles like Secretly Wishing for a Thanksgiving for One and Alone for Thanksgiving? How to Make the Most of It, I'm not feeling so guilt ridden about it like I have been in the past when I confessed about the holidays. It's nice knowing others do feel similarly/have been through the same thing. Sure, it is nice to spend it with people, but at the same time, it is not as bad for some people to spend it alone either. After all, I'm truly not alone as I have my three 4-legged "children", though they do not have their own place at the table like this woman's cat here. However, I do thoroughly feel her reasons are valid that this cat is a well-behaved family member, as I do with my dogs.

I do admit, however, my plans to take the dogs to a nearby park were a bit thwarted by the weather. It is steadily raining here with not much hope of letting up. Tovah, my youngest, could care less as she has already spent a few hours exploring the yard in the rain. (she has to be sure she has gotten every mole possible) Meanwhile, Hank and Daphne would rather stay inside in the warmth of the house. (Daphne often thinks she will melt at the site of cold or rain-just imagine when it snows here!)

So instead my plans will be to watch the dog show, work with the dogs, do some laundry, work on a project for Baxter's 1-year anniversary, desperately organize some bills I've been putting off the last 3-4 month (literally), and to buy some stuffing and potatoes, two items which I thoroughly enjoy during the holiday season. I would have had the stuffing, but Daphne decided to eat it all! Yes, it was another "bad trainer" moment of forgetting to put her in her crate when I left/not putting locks on the turntable.

To leave this on a holiday note, I have always felt grateful in life, sometimes to a point of excess which I've learned to partly let go of in the last few years. I wrote this post a few years ago about gratitude, and I still feel pretty similarly to this. I think gratitude just shouldn't be about one day but all the days throughout. It's just that for many people, this one day gives them stop for thought. But if that is what it takes for some people, then albeit, let this day be that day.

Lastly, I just want to thank all you blog readers for reading this blog and giving me support and feedback. The blogging world has made a difference in a number of lives, and I certainly include myself in this. I've met some great people here. To each and all of you, I hope you have a successful and happy Thanksgiving Day, always taking care of yourself in the process.