Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope that you’re enjoying the start of this holiday season. It probably looks differently for you, because I know that it does for me too. I decided to stay home for Thanksgiving and not travel to my family, so this will be my first Thanksgiving spent entirely alone. I’ve never spent either Thanksgiving or Christmas alone in my entire life. Granted, saying I’m “alone” isn’t fair to my cat, Fred, because I’ll be spending Thanksgiving with him, but you get the point.
Maybe I’ll start a new Thanksgiving tradition this year and go to the beach. I do live in Florida now, with some of the best beaches in the United States at my disposal. No fancy dinner or stuffing my face, no family arguments or people asking personal questions — just a relaxing day at the beach. Sounds nice, no?
As I do every year, I reflect on what I’m thankful for. What am I thankful for this year? Despite spending Thanksgiving alone, I still have plenty to be thankful for.
My family’s health. So far, everyone in my family has been protected from the coronavirus and remained healthy throughout the pandemic. I, myself, recently tested negative for the virus and have been the healthiest I’ve been all year. I know that millions of people around the world haven’t been as lucky and if you’re one of those people, I sincerely apologize.
Fitness. This year, I’ve taken control of my fitness and instead of gaining the “quarantine 15,” I’ve lost about 15 pounds. I’m getting my cardio up, controlling my diet — all the while staying at home quarantining (ie., not going to a gym), where I typically would’ve thought that the opposite would’ve happened.
New job, new state. You might’ve read my most recent blog post, but in case you haven’t, I quit my job at NASA and left Houston, Texas, for a position with Redwire Space in Jacksonville, Florida. It’s been a hard transition, but necessary.
My cat. I know that this may sound cheesy, but spending months of quarantine alone would’ve been miserable (even more than it already is). I’m so glad to have my cat, Fred, for company. He makes me smile, laugh, and his cuddles can completely change my mood. If you don’t have a pet, I 100% recommend getting one.
You. You, as my reader who follows my journey. But most importantly, you, as a person who holds value in this world. I hope that you know that you are valued, loved and appreciated in this world. I don’t think that people voice their affections often enough and if you haven’t heard it recently, know that I love and appreciate you. Thank you for being you.
I hope that you aren’t spending Thanksgiving alone, but if you are, please video chat your friends and family. Tell them that you love them. We might be alone for the holidays this year, but we don’t have to be lonely.
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Thank you for reading! I hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving ❤
Xoxo’s
Emmalee
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Emmalee Mauldin 