The One where I Start the Tributes.

As I sit in the arctic that is my office this morning, I've been perusing through Facebook news feeds, Twitter feeds, and blogs that I follow. I've noticed a lot of people are taking the time to countdown their "Days of Thanks" or "Days of Gratitude" in the month of November in recognition of the Thanksgiving holiday, of course (which a lot of us, myself included, toss aside due to the Christmas season).

I have found myself inspired by these acclamations - some entire blog posts, some simple yet profound one-sentence statements - and I want to follow in the footsteps of the writers. After all, as I have said before, I prefer that the main through-line of this entire blog be that of gratitude.

I have a feeling this will do a lot for my personal life. It will help in my consistency of blogging. I sometimes let the inconsistency of my posts be my excuse not to write, if that makes any sense. I intend on writing everyday this month about at least one thing that I am thankful for, even if it's short. Doing this will also help me stay in the moment. Sometimes, when things get too busy, I have learned the hard way that I become a bit robotic (as I have blogged about before) and disallow myself opportunities to take in what is happening right at that moment in time.

My biggest hope of all, in taking on this effort, is that I become a more grateful individual, that I don't take the things or the people around me for granted, and that I, in time, make this a habit. After all, it takes 21 days to form a habit, so it seems I've decided to do this little project just in the nick of time.

I realize that it's November 7th, which means if I start today, I am six days behind. No big deal; for the next six days, I will just do two a day to make up for it. That should really get the ball rolling. I've chosen, just now, to refer to these posts as "Tributes to Thanksgiving."

Before I begin today's tributes, I want to state a few disclaimers... 1) These details that I choose to write about are not meant to be listed according to priority. I will just write them as they come to me. 2) I anticipate that some will be minute elements or small things, and some will be absolutely immeasurable. But everything I choose to write about is important to me. This means that I could get very long-winded on the subjects. 3) I will probably repeat several aspects or people or thoughts I have expressed before in my blog; I hope you'll understand and forgive my redundancy. 4) I fully intend on continuing my posts regarding issues I run into or thoughts I have or soapboxes I want to stand on.

Now that that's out of the way...

I realized as I was writing a few paragraphs up that there are two extremely significant individuals that I have failed to ever write about. What opportunity more fitting than now?

Tribute to Thanksgiving #1: "A brother shares childhood memories and grown-up dreams." - Unknown

My family really is remarkable. I know that I'm so lucky to have them. I've gabbed about my mom and my sister in posts past (and in posts future, I'm sure). I'm actually surprised that I haven't expanded more on this next young man, though, as he has been an infinite force of positivity in all my 24 years.
I don't know anyone like Roy. While he is the picture of what a "big brother" should be - supportive, funny, a confidante, protective, etc. - he is also a light to everyone around him. I have so much respect for his abilities and his knowledge but most of all, his care and kindness.

I'm grateful for the laughs I have with him in reminiscing our childhood - from realizing how much TV we actually did watch as kids to joking about how much we got picked on to remembering moments that we may have momentarily forgotten.

Roy goes out of his way to be a good brother. He even makes it a point to call at least once a week to touch base with his family, no matter where he is. I like to think that he is the glue that really holds my family together.

People are drawn to him. He's hilarious, of course, but also just has this magnetic personality that people can't seem to avoid. This has been something that I have admired about him for as long as I can remember. I recall times when I was younger when I would literally brag about him to my friends. While I may not do that as much anymore verbally, in my heart I'm still convinced that I have the most admirable, classiest, and sweetest brother on the face of the planet.
I also think he's also the smartest... why, you ask? Maybe he just passed the Texas state Bar Exam and is getting sworn in as an "attorney at law" this week.

Sincerely, though, if I could have chosen qualities that I would've wanted my big brother before we came to Earth, he still would've been just like Roy.

Tribute to Thanksgiving #2: "My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: he believed in me." - Jim Valvano
I never have expressed it enough. In fact, I have had nightmares where something happens to him and I never get the chance to express it. Of course I don't want that to happen, but I've never really taken the time to voice my appreciation of this amazing man. Now is absolutely the time to do that.

I had a really incredible childhood. Of course when I was living it I didn't think so because I was always the one to dramatize and make negative every little situation (I realize I do that sometimes now, too). I lived in the country, in our log cabin, on our four acres of land, with my older brother and younger sister, my mom and dad. While I lived at home, I learned the importance of manual labor and imagination. I never wanted for anything, really. It was all right there at arm's length.

My dad is a strong man. In case you didn't know this, he was actually the Oklahoma state championship wrestler in high school. I'm convinced he can fix anything and lift a million pounds at the same time. He's come face-to-face with Death a number of times and prevailed.

But truly, his physical strength pales in comparison to his emotional and spiritual strength. In his 59 years, my dad has been through some of the greatest hardships I could ever imagine and still manages to express so much love in his everyday life.

I stand amazed at the work he puts into projects and manual labor. I can honestly attribute my willingness to work hard to my dad. He occasionally put us to work when we were little. Before I was even 15 years old, I had tarred a roof, helped build several fences, tilled a garden, cut cattails in a pond, helped build a shed, shoveled, raked, mowed, hammered, climbed, pushed and pulled my weight in rocks and wood. Of course while these things were happening, I wanted to die. I never imagined that I would one day appreciate what those tasks taught me. But I do!

Besides teaching us how to work, and more importantly, my dad has given me some of the grandest memories of my life. Once, we washed his truck in rain water on a business road. I've bottle-fed a newborn calf and had proper burial of some of my most precious dogs. I've been chased by a (harmless) garden snake. When it would "snow" in Texas, my dad would link a huge "sled" to the back of his truck and drive us down the country road. When I was very little, he made a mud-hole in the driveway for Roy and I to play in. He made a tradition for ringing in the new year to jump into our icy swimming pool at midnight. He's woken my siblings and I up with "quacking" noises, Martha's pet duck beside him, outside of our bedroom windows early in the morning. He makes the tastiest stews, the yummiest pinto beans, and the most delectable breakfast burritos.

As I sit here and type these few things, I am overwhelmed with the pride I have for my father. Because of him, I'm able to look back on my childhood and laugh... but above all, I am able to say that my dad is absolutely the best man I know.