Thankfulness

Even though I am relatively new to this country and celebrated my first Thanksgiving less than ten years ago, it has become one of my favorite holidays. Partly because it’s close to my birthday and you usually get two days off work, but mostly because it’s one that encourages us to stop and think about those things that are most important in life.

We all have so many things to be thankful for, and yet it’s easy to forget that and only look at things that could be better. Even though we may be part of the 99% according to the Occupy movement, we are still part of the global 1%. Stay humble.

First of all, I am grateful for life itself — it’s a gift that should be treasured every day and not ever taken for granted. Let’s try to make our best of the limited time we get here on Earth and do something that matters, not just for ourselves but for everyone. I am thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to travel, the great friends that I have in my life, new and old, and for my amazing family. Unlike friends, you can’t choose your family, but I really lucked out. I have a great one — the family I grew up with and the one I have grown into. I am grateful for strangers on the street who smile at me or give me some words of kindness, it means a lot. Finally, I am incredibly thankful for all of you who come here and read what I write and make the good life worth living, searching for and writing about. Thank you.

Love,
Johanna Björk, Founder and Editor-in-Chief