Thanksgiving yeay!

Today's post is in English, because today is Thanksgiving. When I first came to the states, I thought it was kinda odd that everyone claimed Thanksgiving as an American holiday. After all there are people all around the world who thank God for giving and we celebrate Thanksgiving in Germany, too.

But over the years, my view of Thanksgiving has changed. I started to realize that for many people Thanksgiving is not just about thanking God for giving them food and many other things, too, but it is rather about sharing and family or friends. In the US where many families live so far away from each other and are spread out over the entire continent, this holiday is so important, because it might be one of the few times when everybody comes together to share a meal. What a wonderful holiday!

... if you have family.

And this is where the problem starts for me:
I don't have any family here. The holiday itself is great, but if everybody else leaves to be with their family except for me, it is kind of sad. I mean, the holiday in and of itself is a wonderful idea, but without family for me it is the most dreaded time of the year. Every other day, being without a boyfriend or husband is bad enough. It makes you feel like you are the person that is being picked last in gym. Remember that feeling? Now picture yourself having this exact feeling almost every single day of your life. It is not easy, but it is extremely bad when there is a family holiday going on all around you.

Buuuuuuut, I have friends. What would the world be without friends! I actually got 3 invitations for Thanksgiving. Three. Can you believe it. Nobody can eat so much turkey. But it is sooo nice that they all thought of me. So, actually, it turned out to be a nice holiday for me after all. And while I am sitting here,while my cinnamon apple pie bakes in the oven next to me and fills my whole apartment with this wonderful holiday scent, I am thinking about the things I am grateful for:
I am thankful for...

1. my family.
Even if my family is on another continent, I am so glad to have them. They are always there for me when I need them and they love me to pieces.

2. my friends.
I can't believe how lucky I am to have so many nice people in my life. And I do not just mean the ones that are here and invited me to their turkey feasts, but also for all the others in Europe that are still my friends and stay in contact with me, even though we are so far apart most of the year.

3. I am thankful that everybody I love is healthy. Health really is a gift.

4. being here on Thanksgiving. I am so glad that I can experience this holiday here with my friends, that I have the chance to study here in the States and that I met so many nice people here.

... well that's about it. Looks pretty short, my "Things-I-am-thankful-for-list". But to be honest, these are the most important things in my life I am thankful for: The people I love and care for, that everybody is healthy, and that I am having a wonderful time here. Even without a husband or family here, I am having a great life and I am thankful for that.

Happy Thanksgiving!

P.S.: Morgen gibt's Photos!