Season of Thanks
Unfortunately, I am not an elegant writer. I do enjoy blogging on this site, as a form of therapy. I keep my workout log in a binder. Since I am not a personal trainer, I don’t post them here. So I was thinking about this season…the season of being thankful.
Why do we wait until around Thanksgiving and Christmas to share the reasons we are thankful?
Why do we need a birthday, mothers/fathers day, etc. to tell those we care about the most that we appreciate them?
I am certainly not excluding myself, nor do I think that everyone waits. I don’t always wait, I try to do special things on occasion. As the end of November draws closer, I have been thinking about what is important in my life and to what I give thanks. I am being sent thousands of miles away two days after Thanksgiving and I will not be home until just before Christmas of ‘09. I am not whinning, it is my duty and I am VERY proud to serve this great country. It just makes you think about things differently.
So let me give you a little of what I am thankful for…
I am thankful that I am married to my wife. This year (just had our 7th anniversary on the 27th) was extremely difficult and we almost didn’t make it to our anniversary. I am thankful that my wife figured out that we were more important than…well, let’s just leave it at that. She is strong, beautiful and my best friend. I never started really living until she came into my life.
I am thankful for being blessed with three wonderful children. They are the reason I put on my uniform each and everyday. They (and my wife) are what is going to get me through this next year.
I am thankful for the rest of my family as well. They are all healthy and support me 100% on everything that I do. They have always let me make my own choices and make my own mistakes. They are responsible for building my foundation of values and beliefs.
I am thankful for the friends I have in my life. I do not have a lot of close friends, but I am blessed to have them in my life. There are some of you here that eventhough we may not talk or know each other very well…I am glad to have "met" you. I hope I will be able to keep in contact with you while I am away.
I am thankful for getting off my ass and losing all of my weight. I look forward to adding muscle mass while I am gone. I am glad that this site is here so I am able ask questions, get encouragement and continue to learn about how to live a healthy life. I have so much still to learn.
I am thankful that because I am being sent overseas, someone gets to come home and be with their family. I do what I do because I want to, I am not a hero nor am I a saint. I am a soldier, I love this country and I will defend it against anyone who wishing to do her harm. Here is a little saying that I got from a spouse of a soldier…
"Sleep well tonight, a soldier has got your back"
Well, I do have much more that I could include, but that is enough for now. I would like to stand on my soap box for a moment and tell you all that we should not wait until certain holidays to be thankful and to let those that we love and care about how much they mean to us…let us do that each and everyday. Let’s unite and be heard when it comes to this great country we all call home. Instead of complaining, let’s figure out how to make this a even better country for the sake of our children and our children’s children.
God Bless each and everyone of you and I wish nothing but the best for you and your families! Until next time…Jay






31 October 2008 at 9:28 am
A HUGE GIGANTIC ENORMOUS GARGANTUAN BIG THANKS for your service Jay!
We live in the greatest country, and Nov 4 is a reminder that we are blessed with the privilege of choosing our next President! We will have a peaceful transition of power, regardless who wins.
God Bless,
Al
31 October 2008 at 9:29 am
Jay, thank you for the reminder of all the things that people take for granted every day. until people like us stand the watch away from our families, they don’t realize how precious every day is. 181 days until i’m back in my wife of 20 years arms again.
and thank you for standing the watch for as long as you have. if you’re ever in southern Iraq, drop me a line, first coffee is on me.
-matt