Giving Thanks

Despite a tiny part of me that feels this is too much of a cliche and too dull, most of me embraces taking a moment to acknowledge publicly why I feel truly fortunate to be who and what I am. I am thankful for so much in my life.

For my family – I love you all beyond words. Family is the core of my existence and without you there would be no world for me. Thank you for your love, your support, for being you.

For my friends – you make me smile, wipe my tears, keep me company, share my joys, share my tragedies, teach me about life, celebrate our existence.

For my coworkers – really, you are in the friends category. But this year I need to thank you for rescuing me from the stagnant morass of being a “Stepford Analyst”, as one of you coined many many years ago. Thank you for encouraging me to try something new and helping me learn the way. Thank you for respecting this new passion of mine and letting me incorporate it into my day-to-day responsibilities. I was withering and you brought me back to life. Words cannot express my gratitude.

For my SL coworkers – I’ve never “met” you, probably would not recognize you if we literally bumped into each other in the atomic world. Thank you for encouraging me to join you in your work, allowing me the opportunities to volunteer, learn, grow and enjoy. From teaching me how to login to working the camera to allowing me to landscape to adding me to the support/training teams to answering my simple new-to-VW questions – thank you. You have added immensely to my personal and professional satisfaction and I am honored to count you among my friends.

For my SL friends – oh wow. I’m emotional enough to tell you that by this point in this post there are tears in my eyes thinking of you all. I have friends all over the world – Australia and New Zealand, Germany, UK, Canada, Alaska, California, the US heartlands, the east coast. And probably other places as well. You are so real to me. You are funny, smart, kind, generous, thought-provoking, patient, supportive. I have cried my literal tears in your virtual arms. I have laughed out loud at my computer and your virtual antics. I have loved you and liked you and argued with you. You have given me the opportunity to stretch my emotional, psychological and philosophical boundaries. We’ve gone shopping. We’ve bared our souls. We’ve been totally silly. You are always there. When I count the people who have made my life better, more complete, saner – you are there.

Today as I sit down with my family and friends in RL, the prayer of thanksgiving for having been given life and been sustained to reach this day has never been as heartfelt.

I give thanks for each and every one of you in my life –
Ahuva Heliosense