Last year I had a rather depressing Thanksgiving, but I anticipate a different end result this year, for a variety of different reasons. Namely, I feel more grateful for the place I’m at now than I was a year ago. Even though I was happy on the surface I was tied down by a relationship that just wasn’t meant to last, and nearly crippled my 2012 senior experience, placing a crossroads in terms of which direction I wanted to head towards for the rest of my life.
The decision I reached was the desire to go into education, namely for the primary purpose of choosing a profession based on love rather than money. This led to 2 direct consequences, namely attending Cal State Fullerton for the primary purpose of obtaining a teaching credential, and obtaining a part-time job at Loara High School as a high school group leader for the Anaheim YMCA. Though this may seem on the surface as merely on-the-surface changes, its psychological and spatial effects are limitless in scope and volume. This, in turn affected the top 10 list for 2012’s Thanksgiving, and why it contrasts with 2009’s and 2010’s, respectively.
1. Family: I’ve never been super close to my family. Even though my parents were rather neglectful in giving me the attention I needed growing up, I know they just ultimately lack the ability to properly show affection. They have been rather supportive of me going back to school instead of pushing me into getting a job immediately. In fact, I have yet to hear them complain very much about how I wasted 4 years getting a degree I didn’t even use (Communications), even though they tried to push me towards Biology and Medicine in the first place. And now, I have my own bedroom, within the living room, with my brother’s wife about to give birth any time now within this month (meaning I’ll be another girl’s Uncle in no time at all). At the same time, I have a home that always contains food waiting for me anytime I want. Thinking about my family, I miss my two other sisters that are Oregon, namely Annie and Jenny. Hopefully they have the mechanism by which to travel home this winter break.
2. Friends: I could say that all I’m thankful for all my friends, but that would most definitely be a lie. Instead, I’m thankful for the friends that are reciprocal to my efforts to hang out, and provide me a mechanism to personally grow as an individual in this world. These include people who have helped me grow in the past (high school friends), shaped my ability to grow in the present (UCSD friends: STEWIES/PAW/ICRA/YFRP), and will shape my future (CSUF friends: CKI/QP). If I can somehow achieve a perfect balance between maintaining old friendships and new friendships, I can grow as an individual. I must respect the values I learned from friendship, that I must “Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold.”
3. The Constitution: America’s guiding principles are in this document, and even though history has waned away from a literal interpretation of the Constitution, scholars and judges alike agree that the Constitution is ultimately the law of the law both federally and within the states. We wouldn’t have a Bill of Rights, and we wouldn’t have the privileges we have in the United States of America without the Constitution. Even though our Civil Liberties are diminishing everyday with the passage of the NDAA and the Patriot Act, we still have it better off than most nations within the world (although I’d argue we need to fight for our rights back, or 1984 will be a present reality). That’s why great statesman like Ron and Rand Paul will be the heroes we need to save our country in the long run.
4. Economics: Without the federal reserve system in place, our economy would be much stronger. However, I’m still satisfied by the money I’ve made from working at the Anaheim YMCA this year. That money has provided me in terms of ability to pay for food, pay for gas, and simultaneously pay for tuition (although much of that was a carry over from Environment, Health, and Safety last year). Hopefully by next year’s time I will have saved enough for a Disneyland pass and successfully obtain a second job (because I’m only taking 2 classes next semester).
5. Education. I’m going to love what I do. CSUF has provided me a mechanism by which to achieve that goal, as I progress in obtaining all the prerequisites needed to enter the teaching program by Fall 2013. And though I will have to deal with painful bureaucracy and standardized testing, I know in the end inspiring the high school students to be the best will be my ultimate goal. I already see a glimpse of that in my job at the Anaheim YMCA, as I push the kids to do things outside their comfort zones, and to ultimately open up to the peers and students around them.
6. Transportation. About a year ago, I didn’t have the car I have now. Instead, I relied on public transportation or others to get anywhere. That’s nice and all, but I prefer to be independent. Having a car provides me the mechanism for which to travel where I want when I want and to be less dependent on others. And though the car could break down at any second, I have the security of knowing it will ultimately get me from point A to point B.
7. Entertainment. I access a variety entertainment sources everyday: in the forms of facebook, the Internet, movies, television shows, and books. These entertainment sources aren’t necessarily accessible everywhere within the world, so I recognize the privilege I have. I’m thankful it’s there because I wouldn’t know what to do in an age without any of those things. This includes obviously Glee, 24, Once Upon a Time, How I Met Your Mother, and Game of Thrones.
8. FOOD. How could I not be grateful for the one thing that keeps me alive on a day to day basis? I know for a fact I’ll be eating some Pho, Egg Rolls, and Korean BBQ on Thanksgiving and though it may not be the traditional American feast, it will be a delicious one. Phil’s BBQ ftw. 🙂
9. History. Without the past, there would be no present. Without the present, there would be no future. I, unlike many of my fellow peers who hate the subject, see history as the primary tool by which we can self-reflect on our lives. The impact of our Founding Fathers, the impact of past histories of the world, and the impact of past relationships can bridge the gap between the past and the present. What we learn from the past can ultimately prevent crises of the future. The rise of Nazi Germany for example originated out of an economic crisis due to heavy inflation within the Weimar Republic. If we don’t recognize widespread inflation and the impending collapse of the U.S. dollar will happen in our lifetime, then we are in a desperate need of a wake-up call. History is, and should always be, one of the primary mechanisms we use for determining a future course of action, and thus why I’m thankful for it.
10. Music. It keeps me going. Whether it be through my Emo phase of my high school, my party phase of college, my breakup phase of 2012, or simply just singing in the car or shower, music is the primary mechanism that motivates me to be who I am. Bursting out into song randomly is not only inspiring – it’s glee-like. And that in the long run, is why I’m thankful for it.
And as always, I’m thankful for all my viewers, however few of them there might be out there. 😀
