As the season of thankfulness approaches us, we take time out of our busy lives to realize life’s greatest blessings. For me, it is my family. Some people may not be as fortunate with a big family or real family. But as we look around during this time of the year, we take off the blinders and we see how blessed we may all be.

There are families out there who have children or parents who have the courage and strength to go into the Armed Forces. Those people are a son, a daughter, a mother, a father, a sister, or a brother. They have families too, they have people who love and care about them, but they still take time out of their lives to serve and protect our country.  Take it from a girl who has lived a part in a military household. With a father who served 12 active duty years and 15 years as a military contractor and a brother who has been active duty for almost 3 years.

When they return home it is more than just a smile and hug, it’s a moment I have been praying for since the last goodbye. The agony of not hearing from them for so long or not being able to talk to them about life problems, it all builds up. Family are the people who will be the first to congratulate when you get married, when you have a child or need a shoulder to cry on. We need family more than we expect.

As an immature teenager, I never could realize what was right in front of me and how truly thankful I should be. Some of us aren’t as equal or as fortune as others, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have things to be thankful for. I never took the time to see that I had it better than most. I always thought nobody knew what I was going through, but in fact some people are going through worse. I have grown up and realized life is about the simplest things. Life is about the simple moments that come together to make a lifetime worth of blessings.

My life is not squared away, everything is not precise and perfect but I know I am thankful. Thankful for the family who has built me into the young women I am. Everyone has something to be thankful for. It may not be family, but there is something out there. If you have to dig deep, do so. But there is always something to be thankful for. Because the more you can thank life, the more life will give you things to be thankful for.