I am Most Thankful for...

An evening at Mt. Bonnell. I was recently amazed by the number of people I encountered one Saturday night at Mt. Bonnell. Me, Russell and about fifty other visitors enjoyed the cool, crisp and low humidity evening that created a breathtaking sunset, for which I am thankful.

“Go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the hearts of people.” — Mother Teresa

Action: Enjoy, give thanks, and be grateful for a all of the wonderful things you do and don't have, as well as the people that fill your life with joy, today, tomorrow and in the future.

As I expressed last week, I typically get an awful head and chest cold this time of the year. I'm not sure if I jinxed myself or not by writing about it, but last Thursday I felt it start to come on. So I decided to give my “superwoman cape” a break and take Friday morning off. Rather than go to our yoga classes, I stayed indoors, raided the medicine cabinet, and sipped hot tea all morning.

At 4:00, I had a movie date with my best friend Krystal to watch This Is It, the Michael Jackson movie. I might see as many two movies in a theatre any given year, so this was a HUGE deal for me. After all, I've been practicing the moonwalk all week and couldn't let all that practice go to waste! Thankfully, my restful morning gave me the pep I needed to make the trip to the movies, but when we arrived at the ticket booth we were told that the movie was no longer showing! Feeling very disappointed, we decided to watch another movie and chose The Blind Side. I remembered seeing the trailer and it looked great, but had it not been for being at the theatre, I doubt I would've take the time to see it.

Getting to see The Blind Side was truly serendipitous. It's a true story about a Memphis family (Ole Miss graduates) who take in Michael Oher, a seventeen year old homeless boy with a devastating parental situation. It's perfectly timed during the Thanksgiving season as it reminds me of how fortunate I am to have something as simple as a bed, let alone a mother and father that loved and nurtured me as a child (and still do). It reminded me that I honestly have need for nothing more, and have not one legitimate complaint or excuse that prevents me from chasing my dreams, helping others and living life to the fullest.

The movie inspired me to be thankful for all of that I have all that I get to experience. It also made me thankful for the many blessing in disguise: hardships, disappointments, setbacks and "things" I must wait on and currently don't have. But the greatest gift I received from the movie was realizing I am most thankful for the people and relationships in my life. It is connecting and sharing life with others that makes my life so rich and it is for this that I am thankful for YOU!

So have a very happy Thanksgiving Monarchs! And along with carving the turkey, try to carve out time during your holiday to see The Blind Side.

On a lighter note—and quite to the liking of Monarch Susan Kay, an Ole Miss graduate herself—I found myself cheering for the Ole Miss football team last night, as this is where Michael Oher played during college. He now plays for the Baltimore Ravens.

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