Thank you.

It is customary, during this time of year, to be thinking of what you have to be grateful for. I confess I've never been good at this. To me, Thanksgiving has never been anything more than a day to get out of school and to eat great food with the people I love. But this year I was challenged to find something I am grateful for each day in the month of November up until Thanksgiving, and post it on Facebook. This was not as easy as it sounds. Some days I was scraping to find anything that I was thankful for. But I am so glad I chose to accept that challenge. It has honestly made a huge difference in my life. I realize now that I have so much in my life to be thankful for.

As I thought about what I wanted to post on the final day of the challenge I started to become quite emotional. There is just so much beauty in my life that I couldn't wrap it all up in 420 characters of a Facebook status. I ended up posting that I was thankful for my immediate family:

"Day 25- I've saved the best for last. I am so grateful for my immediate family. They are the most important thing in my life. I am so grateful for their love and support despite my imperfections. I love my little brothers more than life. They mean the world to me and I would do anything for them. And I am so lucky to have the most amazing set of parents anyone could ask for. I love you guys so much!"
  

To me, this simple paragraph cannot even come close to stating how incredibly grateful I am for them. Since I came out, my brothers and I are ten times closer than we were before. They love and support me, just as I love and support them. And my parents, I know, would give me anything in the world. There is nothing my father wouldn't do for his family. And there is nothing my mother would sacrifice.

But that isn't all. I would be selfish not to look around and be grateful for others in my life. My extended family, my friends, my peers and my mentors. I would have never thought that I would feel this much love in my life. The fact that I can be myself, make my own decisions and be who I want to be and still be surrounded by loved ones is definitely something to be grateful for.

I'm reminded daily of how blessed am I as I look at others who struggle with these same trials, but do not have the support group I have. The world is full of people who are enduring hardships and pain, but have also been abandoned by those who are supposed to love them through it all. So to anyone out there who needs the support that they should getting from their family and friends, you have me. I have plenty of love to share. And you can have as much as you need.

So this Thanksgiving I'm grateful for you. I'm thankful for everyone in my life who has supported and continues to support me in my decisions. Thank you for all of the love a guy could ask for. I am truly a blessed individual.

Now, go eat some pie, dammit! <3 

Happy Thanksgiving!