This Thanksgiving, when we are giving thanks for the many privileges we have in the United States, I will be in California with my brother. My brother and I didn't get off to the best start in life, he's 14 years older than me and hated me the moment I was a possibility. He never spoke to me until I was around 8, when I was just a normal part of his life and he had grown up from adolescent tantrum. Nowadays, I rarely see him, but I'm thankful that we're on good terms and can act almost like any other bickering brother and sister. I'm also thankful for this because this is the year that I realized he might actually care about me and not see me as just a person he had to deal with. It sure feels a lot better to have your brother care about you than ignore you completely.
Another thing I am thankful for, is the ability to dance. I sometimes take it for granted that I was born healthy, with natural flexibility, and long limbs. However, earlier this year I realized how truly lucky I am to not just have flexibility, and long limbs, but the ability to walk. This realization came to me when I was dancing in the middle of the food pantry my dad volunteers at. A elementary age girl was there that had recently had surgery for her cerebral palsy. As I was dancing, she looked longingly at me and said, "I wish I could dance." It just about broke my heart. This sweet little girl could not dance because of her condition, and I felt awful for a few days. That is, until I realized that even though some people will never dance, I can bring joy to them through my dancing. And that is what I am truly thankful for.
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