As I do almost every year at Thanksgiving, I sat down to ponder all of the things for which I am thankful. It started to feel extremely familiar, and I realized that this year's list is nearly identical to last year's.
We have a bulletin board at work where colleagues were asked to post a note about something they are thankful for. I wrote: "A job that I like (most of the time) that pays well enough (most of the time) with coworkers that I love (most of the time)."
But in addition to that, the things for which I am thankful this year are much the same as what I wrote about last year. I was and still am thankful for:
My family. My son is still great, and my wife has done better this year in general. I'm sad that I can't see my relatives today, but I will enjoy the day with my immediate family anyway.
My career. I am thankful to have a steady job that pays the bills (as long as I keep a tight rein on my spending, anyway). It's difficult to say whether it has improved this year or not. On one hand, I did get nominated to the position of Faculty Chair. On the other hand, this move has required sacrifices beyond my expectations. Nevertheless, I appreciate the confidence that my coworkers have in me, and am certainly thankful for the upgrade to my resume.
My students. Now that I am Faculty Chair, the way I work with them is much different than it used to be, but I am thankful that I've had very few truly difficult ones to deal with. Most of them are very grateful and appreciative of the help I provide to them.
My colleagues. I now work more closely with them than ever, and they're still as great as ever. We tend to pile a lot of work onto each other, but we also assist each other whenever possible, and that's the kind of teamwork that I love.
My friends. I still carry a perpetual burden of guilt regarding the lack of contact I have with my friends, but I have improved this year, at least with a select few close ones. I am extremely thankful for those who have helped me to improve the frequency of my contact with them.
My education. I am thankful for the opportunity to pursue my doctorate degree, the financial support provided by my employer, and the fantastic experiences I've had so far in this program. It's perhaps the most exciting thing I have going on right now. The pressure has increased and my level of comfort with the tasks has dropped sharply recently, but venturing outside of our comfort zone is how we grow. I am thankful for the chance to do so.
My house. I complain all the time because my current house is twice as expensive but half as good as my old house, but I have to admit that it's far from being the worst thing people live in. I'm thankful that it's adequately comfortable and functional, that it's in a good location, and that I have a home at all. Not everybody does.
Happy Thanksgiving!
My family. My son is still great, and my wife has done better this year in general. I'm sad that I can't see my relatives today, but I will enjoy the day with my immediate family anyway.
My career. I am thankful to have a steady job that pays the bills (as long as I keep a tight rein on my spending, anyway). It's difficult to say whether it has improved this year or not. On one hand, I did get nominated to the position of Faculty Chair. On the other hand, this move has required sacrifices beyond my expectations. Nevertheless, I appreciate the confidence that my coworkers have in me, and am certainly thankful for the upgrade to my resume.
My students. Now that I am Faculty Chair, the way I work with them is much different than it used to be, but I am thankful that I've had very few truly difficult ones to deal with. Most of them are very grateful and appreciative of the help I provide to them.
My colleagues. I now work more closely with them than ever, and they're still as great as ever. We tend to pile a lot of work onto each other, but we also assist each other whenever possible, and that's the kind of teamwork that I love.
My friends. I still carry a perpetual burden of guilt regarding the lack of contact I have with my friends, but I have improved this year, at least with a select few close ones. I am extremely thankful for those who have helped me to improve the frequency of my contact with them.
My education. I am thankful for the opportunity to pursue my doctorate degree, the financial support provided by my employer, and the fantastic experiences I've had so far in this program. It's perhaps the most exciting thing I have going on right now. The pressure has increased and my level of comfort with the tasks has dropped sharply recently, but venturing outside of our comfort zone is how we grow. I am thankful for the chance to do so.
My house. I complain all the time because my current house is twice as expensive but half as good as my old house, but I have to admit that it's far from being the worst thing people live in. I'm thankful that it's adequately comfortable and functional, that it's in a good location, and that I have a home at all. Not everybody does.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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