Thanksgiving is about gratitude. It’s about gathering. It’s not about wrapping and/or unwrapping presents. It’s about being present in our loved ones’ lives. It’s also such a uniquely American holiday. I’ve often had people at my table who weren’t born here, and who weren’t raised on this holiday, but who have come to love it because it’s about being welcomed to the table. It’s about acceptance. It’s about being invited in. That’s powerful.                                      

 ~Maria Shriver

These powerful words really spoke to me this past weekend. So, I began considering everything I have to be grateful for. I started making a list, and the list kept growing…and growing, and growing, and growing! I wanted to share a few of these thoughts with you.

• The selfless staff members who, regardless of the struggles they may experience, return day after day to support our children and adults
• The children and adults themselves, who remind me every day that life is precious
• My family and friends, who support me through good as well as challenging times
• My son Ryan, who has helped me to grow in so many ways and has taught me to look at my life as always “half full” and never “half empty”

I’d bet that if you begin making your own list of what you have to be grateful for, you too will find that your list will grow and grow as mine did!