There's Always Something to Be Thankful For

Sometimes I feel guilty for remaining so positive. Sometimes I feel like I'm "supposed" to be more upset about some things that happen in life than I actually am. That's not to say I don't allow horrible situations to affect me, but I tend to bounce back and look at the positive or the big picture. Sometimes I feel like maybe I'm bottling it up and it's going to hit me like a ton of bricks one day. But maybe, just maybe, I'm focusing my energy and my mind where it needs to be...Gratitude.

This past year and a half hasn't been the easiest for myself, my family and many others. Actually, life has had its share of ups and downs since my dad passed away in 2009. However, I'm still here which means I have two choices; exist and be miserable or live and be happy! It's not always an easy choice to make. Sometimes I'm filled with guilt if I'm too happy on some days. During those times I remind myself that my dad and my brother (who passed away last year) would not want me to live miserably. So I make it a point to love something about every single day.

Since this is a public blog, I'm going to skip the generic list of answers that include everything I've been grateful for for the past 30 years. This year, I'm especially grateful for the experiences I've had and the people I've met. In an attempt not to make this extremely long, I'll say this; it is not nearly enough to send all of my love and gratitude to Paulie, Linda, Paul, Aunt Caren, Angelina and Cody Calafiore. I feel beyond blessed that God and the universe has allowed me to cross paths with you and I will never take it for granted. I love you all. I'm also thankful for the friends I've made this year and even the haters for clicking my blogs. Without knowing it, you helped my read count go up and for that, I'm grateful and truly touched that you took the time to do that (trying not to let on that I'm being sarcastic in a nice blog.)

Gratitude truly is one of the biggest keys to a happy life. If you're grateful, you'll receive more to be grateful for and be able to spread that to others. However, the same can be said for bitterness, so you need to choose wisely. Happy Thanksgiving to all!