Like much of America, the 2020 Presidential Election was quite difficult for me. I honestly had been emotional and somewhat melancholy for the majority of the past month.
But unlike much of America, my sullen mood had nothing to do with either Donald J. Trump or Joe Biden. Rather, I was emotional because on November 6, I turned 46.
As I’ve gotten older, I’m more aware that age truly is just a number. But as I stood with Dan in the voting line, I realized this:
The day after I vote in our next Presidential election (November 5, 2024), I will turn 50. Eek!
Just like that, in four more years I will be 50. Half a century. Wow! Blessed to make it to 50, but this realization was my reason to reflect back on an essay I wrote 11 years ago.
When I struggled with turning 35, I created a list of 35 things I was thankful for. This list cheered me up then, and by adding 11 more things that I am thankful for now, I am hoping it will do the trick again.
So building on that list, here are 11 new things I’m thankful for as I enter my 46th year.
1. Online everything: from MS information and support, to social sites, shopping, FaceTime and Zoom meetings
2. Memories
3. CMU Doctor of Physical Therapy students and their professors
5. Delta Airlines’ attention to accessibility, which opened up the United States for me. And Dan and I WILL travel again, thank you very much!
7. Accessibility like curb cuts, power assist doors, voice recognition software and AirPods. These things open up in the world to me and all of us living with disabilities.
8. Warm days, cold beer and time spent outside in the sunshine
9. Hope
10. Disease-modifying therapies, specifically my drug of choice, Rituxan
11. Always and forever my Dan, my family and my friends
As was true back then and is true today, this really is a good list to remind me of all that is good in my life. Once again, I encourage everyone who is struggling with tough times or dark days to make a similar list of your own.
You might be surprised by everything you have to be thankful for 😉