Thanksgiving Reflections

Being away during the holidays is always hard. I remember when I was studying abroad in Rome during Thanksgiving and it was such a depressing day. It was raining and dreary and for the first time in those 3 months I really felt lonely. How ironic is it that my second Thanksgiving away from home, this time in the beautiful oasis that is the Philippines, it's also raining? Typhooning actually. So instead of sunbathing and visiting stunning waterfalls and not caring at all about what's going on at home; here I am sitting in a cute little beach cafe, listening to the rain and longing to be at home surrounded by all of my friends and family. But immediately after writing that, I realize how lucky I am to feel this way. How blessed am I that I have such amazing people in my life? In fact I have too many blessings to even count. Traveling has opened my eyes to how truly lucky I am. Living in America, or any other first world country, makes it easy to turn a blind eye on the hardships faced by half the world. We get so caught up in our privileged lives that we never realize how privileged we actually are. Having a roof that doesn't leak, a home with more than one room, hot water to bathe, clean water to drink, healthy food to eat, clean clothing, a bed to sleep on, a car to drive, and an income to maintain these things are all luxuries that we take for granted.

 I am grateful for this eye opening journey, for this opportunity to see the world, to follow my dreams, and to truly live. I wake each day with a grateful heart and I'm learning to see the beauty in every situation. 

There is beauty in every situation. 

I'm not sure if I will ever understand how or why I was dealt such a good hand in life when others who seem more deserving were not, but I will continually be thankful. Not just today, but every single day. 

Wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to all. May your hearts and bellies be extra full today. 

Xoxo Molly