So much to be thankful for...

Some people gasp when they learn that I commute 45 minutes each way to and from work daily. Actually, I love the drive and the opportunity it provides for reflection. Once again this evening I was driving home in the darkness and I was listening to Josh Groban's Christmas album and a great song came on. The lyrics struck me powerfully, especially with the situations I've been dealing with both at home and at work.

Somedays we forget
To look around us
Somedays we can't see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be.
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see.
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.

Look beyond ourselves
There's so much sorrow
It's way too late to say
I'll cry tomorrow
Each of us must find our truth
It's so long overdue

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And every day we hope for
What we still can't see
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.

Even with our differences
There is a place we're all connected
Each of us can find each other's light

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see
It's up to us to be the change
And even though this world needs so much more

There's so much to be thankful for

As I listened, I was reminded of all of the things I truly have to be thankful for. As my friend's mother reminded us this weekend, "Enjoy the thank you season before the gimme season. I thought about my sweet parents and grandparents, my brother and sister, and all of my extended family members - aunts, uncles, and cousins. I thought about the friends I have been blessed with in my life - near and far, old and new, and especially the friends who have crossed that boundary and feel more like family. I thought about my students, and the blessings of the gospel in my life. I thought about having enough, and being happy. There's too much to list individually.

More than anything else, as I listened to the song, I realized that I have been very frustrated and overwhelmed lately because I've been focusing on the few negative (although rather large) things that have been happening lately, and I've forgotten to look beyond myself and give to those around me. There's always more to do, and ways to improve, but acknowledging that, there's so much to be thankful for.