What I'm Really Thankful For

This is the time of year when reflecting on what one is thankful for is common practice.  Most people give the same old unoriginal, cliché answers each year.  “I am thankful for my spouse, my children, my family, and my friends.  I am thankful I have the means to keep a roof over my head, food on the table and for my health”.   

Before you start making assumptions regarding my priorities, I would just like to say that I do agree with those answers.  In fact, I would typically answer exactly the same.  But when thinking about my list this year, I wanted to take a look at the non-traditional things I am thankful for.  At first, my goal was to be funny, yet honest, and hopefully give people a laugh.  I had no idea that one little word in the “same old unoriginal” list would strike such a chord with me as I was typing.  That word is HEALTH.

HEALTH.  My life revolves around the word health.  I work in the Healthcare field where my job is to help improve the healthcare standards and outcomes for the entire state of Nevada.  My husband works for a Healthcare Technology company making sure his clients have the best, most reliable resources available in order to treat patients.  We have two children, so I am very conscious of the decisions we make regarding their health.  I make life decisions based on how that decision may affect my heath.  I am thankful that the people I love are, for the most part, healthy. 

When things in life get bad, or when people are scared, they tend to say things like..."At least you have your health" or "As long as I’m healthy".  When a woman is expecting a child and is asked if they want a boy or a girl, a typical reply is “I don’t care either way, as long as the baby is healthy”.  We all know that most people have a gender preference, but that isn’t the “socially acceptable” answer.  Of course we want our children to be healthy, but isn't that a given?  That's why my answer was always "I really don't want a girl.  I wouldn't know what to do with a girl".   

The older I get, the more I realize how important one's health is, especially for women.  Most women have triggers and/or events in her life that weigh heavily on her health.  And the more physically and mentally healthy a woman is, the happier she is.  A few examples:

If a woman is physically unhealthy, it may results in a health related diagnosis or illness: Obesity, Diabetes, Heart Failure, High Blood Pressure, etc.

If a woman is emotionally unhealthy, it may result in, an emotional diagnosis.  And being I am not a doctor, I will admit that YES, I completely made up the term “emotional diagnosis”.  To me, an emotional diagnosis is something a woman perceives as an "illness" and may or may not be true.  Unattractiveness, underappreciated, overwhelmed, incompetent.  These perceived illnesses can result in low self-esteem, bitchiness, social withdrawal, lack of sex drive, etc.  An emotional diagnosis may then lead to an illness, i.e. being physically unhealthy.

Below are the things in my life I own, do, accept, and have done, to help me stay emotionally healthy.  My unedited, honest, unconventional, and sometimes even funny (at least in MY mind) list of things I am thankful for.

1. I am thankful for Rubi, my housekeeper, for keeping my house in a livable state (at least between the time she leaves until 15 minutes after my boys get home).
2. I am thankful for the fabulous restaurants and chefs in Las Vegas.  Because of you I am able to partake is some of the most amazing food on the planet! (I am assuming that everything is fat free and low calorie?).
3. I am thankful for my iPod Touch and with the simple placement of my ear buds, I have the power to make everyone around me disappear.
4. I am thankful for my iPad, which has allowed me to take control of the television away from my children.  Now if I could just get the cable company to discontinue ESPN.
5. I am thankful for Netflix and the ability to run Netflix on an iPad (see #4).
6. I am thankful for the ability to shop online, while sitting on my couch in my PJ’s, just to avoid a potential confrontation with someone whose picture should be featured on www.peopleofwalmart.com.
7. I am thankful for my shoes; because it’s true….a woman can never have enough shoes!
8. I am thankful for Caller ID, so I can avoid people I don't feel like talking to at that moment.
9. I am thankful for slowly coming to terms with the fact that there is far too much dialog involving the work "URINE" in a household with 3 boys.
10. I am thankful for Facebook and giving me the ability to make fun of someone in a public forum without having to be face to face.
11. I am thankful for Spanx, oh sweet Spanx, how do I love thee?  Let me count the ways.
12. I am thankful for Ann Taylor, for not carrying clothes that look like they were designed for 12 year old boys.
13. I am thankful for grey hair NOT running in my family.
14. I am thankful for being an American, which gives me the right to say whatever I want, whenever I want, to whomever I want.
15. I am thankful for the most important people in my life understanding that even though I may be smart enough to recognize there are times I should not execute that right, I don’t always have the restraint. (see #14)
16. I am thankful for the people who care for my children so I can have “Date Night”.
17. I am thankful for text messaging, instant messaging, and voicemail so I can avoid talking to people directly.
18. I am thankful for never having to teach another person how to use a toilet.
19. I am thankful for being hard of hearing in one ear, allowing me the ability to reduce noise levels simply by rolling over.
20. I am thankful for not having seen a Jim Carey movie in years.
21. I am thankful for global warming, because I'm always frickin' cold!  Sorry polar bears, but that’s the inconvenient truth!  (Isn’t that right Al Gore?)
22. I am thankful for my Frozen Custard, NY style pizza, Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes, & 3 Cheese Nachos with extra spicy salsa at Qdoba.  My "splurges" in life.
23. I am thankful for the Internet.  Um, yeah, how did we function before it?  (You rock Al Gore!)
24. I am thankful for realizing early on in life that "Common Sense" is NOT THAT COMMON!
25. I am thankful for the fact that every person in Congress who wants to set women and/or minorities back, repeal freedom of choice, deny marriage to loving couples, or abolish sex education, will surely and without a doubt, eventually be caught in a public restroom, a strip club, or hotel with a very chatty hooker or male prostitute who can’t wait to appear on Good Morning America

Here's to hoping you take the opportunity to create your own list of items that help keep you both physically and emotionally healthy. 

Happy Thanksgiving!