This Thursday is Thanksgiving here in the US. And with all the complicated history that holiday holds, it remains a time to take a hard look at the life I lead and express some real gratitude for what I have. I won’t lie–2016 has been kind of awful in many ways: I lost one of my very best friends this year; we had to put down our beloved husky earlier this fall (after we discovered in some of life’s most terrible irony that she had essentially the same kind of cancer as my dear friend); and of course, the US election. Decidedly not good. So this exercise is more important than ever–my short, but heartfelt list of gratitude:
- FHO Readers: Let’s face it–you guys are pretty terrific. I’ve heard from you a lot this year. You’ve sent countless emails to me (and even posted a few comments) extending your love and support in the wake of tough times, and providing encouragement with the unveiling of the new site. And I have met *so many* of you at conferences and trainings–I really value these interactions, both virtual and IRL. People ask how I have the energy to devote to this site, but the truth is, I get so much more out of it than you may realize, both in community and in lessons I learn from you as you reach out with questions and concerns. I really heart my readers.
- Family: One of the reasons I love this holiday is that it’s the one time of year I am immersed in family. The rest of the year we are pulled in a million directions, but for this one week, we are all together, and it is pretty glorious. In part because we’re serious about food and cooking, in part because the makeup of our table is diverse and welcoming, and fitting for the season. Participants will range in age from 4 to 92. One third of the table won’t speak English as their 1st language. And heaven help us, my teen age girl child’s boyfriend will be there, as well. So there it is.
- Work: I love what I do, it’s never the same 2 days in a row, I get to work with my friends a lot (as well as many I admire), and I meet interesting people along the way. It’s awesome and I am so very thankful I can make a living this way.
- DC: For all the turmoil I feel about politics right now, DC is a thrilling place to live and I am lucky to be in the middle of it. I hope I can always live there, in my lovely, progressive neighborhood full of restaurants, kids, gay folks and dogs. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else (or be here with anyone else).
- This guy: His name is Hamilton, and he’s coming home with us Sunday.
Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate. I’m out for the rest of the week. See you back here Monday.
8 replies on “Giving Thanks, 2016”
What a lovely post and Hamilton is adorable! He looks happy as can be! Wishing you a lovely Thanksgiving weekend and continued family joy! ~ Tara
You, too, Tara!
Jennifer,
I do not usually comment but wanted to let you know, I do appreciate this website! you do such a terrific job.
I too am blessed and thankful to be able to do what I love, to have great family and friends. I sympathize with you on loss of friend and your dog. We had two Golden Retrievers and had to have them put to sleep. I thought I would never get over that. We sure do miss them. Your puppy is adorable. I’m sure Hamilton will give you plenty of great memories.
Take care and have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Thanks, Les–hope you’ve had a lovely holiday!
I hope your holiday was enjoyable and the boyfriend went home in one piece. 🙂 We lost our husky a year ago and think about her most everyday, even still. I am sure Hamilton will help with some new antics so please remember to include an update with your awesome blog. Thank you for your hard work to keep us up to date with the forensic world. I look forward to your posts and love your website.
Liz
It was and he did. And I promise to keep the updates coming. Thanks for the lovely words–hope your holiday was lovely and peaceful.
I always find it so interesting how life moves with such seeming intent – our difficulty is in discovering what that is. We lost our family pet of 15 years in October and while it was so heartbreaking, their ability to enrich your life is worth every minute. Amazingly, they subtly teach you how to move on while continuing to savor memories. With a brand new grandchild (of a week) and plans for another pet to join in, I thank my dear pet for all that she gave and so selflessly. Hamilton is adorable and I can’t wait to hear all about his antics. Enjoy.
Mazel tov on the new grandbaby, Liz! What a wonderful treasure for the holiday season!