All That Jazz

Although its kinda cheezy, I've been thinking a lot lately about what I'm thankful for. And it stems from the things I think we're all thankful to have--friends, family, a place to live, and all that jazz.

For me, these few things have become such an automatic response that they have kinda lost their meaning. I don't think I can, or ever will, fully understand the importance my family has had on my life up to this point. I take so many things for granted--the fact that both my parents are actively involved in my life is a big one. I was talking with a friend recently about what "family time" was like when we were younger. My mind instantly jumped to family game nights--Risk, Monopoly, ping pong--anything that involved a clear winner was fun in our competitive family. Of course it made me smile ot remember when Tay was little and used to cry whenever he lost, but the fact that our family did things together is something that i definitely took for granted. Even now at UNC, I am still reminded how much my family is involved in my life--sometimes its not always welcomed, like my father's test messages during State-UNC games, or the "friendly reminders" about how the last 2 weeks of the semester are crucial for maintaining all those straight A's I don't have.

I joke a lot about my extended family--the Nascar bunch from Y-Vegas--but there is something incredibly comforting about the familiar and steady reminder about where you come from.

And I think where you come from reflects where you are right now. I am thankful that I was able to grow up in a safe community and my family was able to provide for me--good schools, big comfy house, my lovable dog, vacations, sports camps...you know the deal. But more importantly, I am thinkful that I grew up in an environment where I was taught the importance of giving back and how unimportant material goods are in the end. While I grew up in great affluence, I am incredibly grateful that I have been able to learn from people of different circumstances--socioeconomic, racial, nationalities, political viewpoints, etc. It's pretty safe to say that I'm obsessed with poverty issues and finding solutions, and I have to give at least partial credit to my childhood and the values my parents tuaght me from the first day I remember.

Why is this important to me? Because it frustrates me to no end the amount of apathy, arrogance, and gluttony I see in America (Yes, this is probably gonna sound soap-boxy) I think everyone needs to take a step back and evaluate what you really value and if your actions are saying the same thing.