Ciao, Valeria

Sure, Thanksgiving has always been American holiday, so what makes this one worthy of a blog post with such a categorical name? I’ve thought about Thanksgiving a lot this year, mostly, I assume, because I’ve been extremely vocal about my gratitude over the past 12 months. There have been so many changes in my life, and every single one has directed me in the right direction. I’d have to be blind to not recognize a larger, more powerful force at play. I’d have to be equally blind to not give thanks.

Today, I will celebrate Thanksgiving with my boyfriend’s family, without him. He will be celebrating it with other Junior Officers from the USS Gravely about 800 miles away. Back home, I will be spending time with his dad, who is getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan for six months with the Air Force, as well as with his mom, who also served in the Air Force, and with his grandfather, a Vietnam veteran.

How’s that for a picture of America?

Though my parents never made casseroles or pies or stuffing for the occasion, they did adopt (and adapt) the tradition to reflect our culture, all while giving thanks for the opportunity to be a part of an American holiday. That gratitude is something they instilled in me from the very beginning: be thankful for where you came from, for where you will go from here, and for all those people in between.

Today, I’m proud to be a part of that American holiday in the company of those who represent the courage, strength, conviction and dedication of the U.S. and of the freedom for which it stands…

I am thankful for family, for friends who are like family, for health, for opportunities, for successes and mistakes, for tradition and culture, for love, for affection, for strength, for faith, and for freedom. It is that freedom that allows me, each day, to live as a realistic dreamer (if there is such a thing), pursuing my goals and living out The American Dream my parents so wanted for my brother and me. If where I stand today can make them proud, if it can inspire others in similar situations, if it can continue to humble me and motivate me as it does each day, what more could I possibly ask for?

For this realization and for this day, I am grateful.

Wherever and with whomever may you be celebrating Thanksgiving today, take the time to truly give thanks — particularly for all those things we so often and so easily take for granted. May your tables and your hearts be bountiful, today and always.

What are you most thankful for?