Once again, Thanksgiving has come around. Besides being an excellent opportunity to get a four-day weekend, it’s a great time to take a close look at our lives and consider all the good things that we have. I’ve made it something of a tradition to post a list of things that I am thankful for. It is always nice to reflect on everything that I have, in order to remind myself what my life is actually going pretty well. (In fact, compared to how I was doing the first year I did this, when I was recently unemployed and at a loss of where to go next in my career, I am doing very, very well, and have even more to be thankful for.)
This year, I thought that I would try something a little bit different. While I am still thankful for my friends, my family, and my fiancee, I thought I would branch out a bit this year. By this time next year, I should have a graduate degree (although, my research is certainly making that a bit difficult), and will be married to my loving girl. So, I thought that this year, I’d look forward rather than back, and express some thanks for the opportunities I have had up to this point, and look forward to some future possibilities, such as:
I am thankful for the chance to go to school, from kindergarten right on through my current Master’s program. I know it’s not always the most fun thing in the world, and I have certainly had more than a few times where I wondered whether it would be worthwhile. But it’s been a rare opportunity in the history of the world for anyone but the wealthiest and most powerful people to gain an education, and being able to do so is something that I greatly appreciate. It’s a pretty great time to be alive.
I am thankful that I am able to pay for my education with student loans. I fully realize that taking on too much new debt to build up my skills and educational history is far from a good financial maneuver. But if I had been forced to try to save up enough to cover the cost of education while working part-time at Wal-Mart, I would still be years away from being able to actually go back to school. I am very thankful that I have been able to get a start on my education. Speaking of which…
I am thankful to have the opportunity to put my education and knowledge to work. With any luck, upon graduation I should find myself much more marketable and able to find a decent job. It will be a nice change, and hopefully by this time next year, I’ll be writing about how I am thankful for my wonderful new job. Until then, I simply am thankful that my skill set should be more impressive by that time.
Lastly (for this year, at least), I am thankful for the future that my Sondra and I will have together. We are having some trouble, mainly of a personal finance related nature, at the moment, but I know that we will make it through and end up doing well together. Someday, hopefully someday soon, we have more money than we need and will be able to have a great life together.
Alright, that’s enough for this year. I am thankful for all that I have, and all that I will have. Here’s hoping you have a good Thanksgiving, and very much in your own lives to be thankful for.