I've never been one to be thankful for thankfulness. It often seems like a task--an obligation--but, like so many other such tasks--yoga, reiki, meditating--it probably nudges my sanity in a positive direction.
This year, with 1/6th of the year spent tramping around Europe, the thankfulness flows like sweet Beaujolais on the third Thursday of November. And, having spent nearly 1/2 the year holed up in a cottage in the woods, I can feel thankfulness burning like a fire I built myself.
I never would have made it to Europe without a stockpile of money. And so, while my parents might assume I'm most thankful for the airline miles that sent me there, it all starts 10 years ago when I evaded taking on any big student loans. My parents had saved up 10k per year for me and my sister, which would have covered the tuition at U of I but not most private colleges. So I guess I should remember too that my intelligence, the one that won me another 9k in a scholarship. [This still feels like a crock; I feel like whatever smarts I got were won with no real effort of my own but through some sort of cosmic lottery: a mixture of genetics and parenting. Wherever it comes from, I'm thankful.][Aside: should I be thankful for my lack of work ethic?]
So without student loans from undergrad and having broke even (barely) from my teaching assistantship in grad school, I have been slowly saving up--mostly thanks to...
Bobby's Bike Hike
Yes, for as much as I complain about what the various vicissitudes of the job has done to my psyche, I can sometimes make "bank". Hell, I managed to save up 4k just in the last 3 months.
In fact, now that I think about it, this year, up until August, has been f*cking awesome. 6 months (re)discovering (my)self thanks to parents and the cottage (and some savings); 2 months (re)discovering Europe (and my)self. It's only been in the last couple months that I've actually had to make the doughnuts.
It's been a good ride so far; I hope to have as much to be thankful for next year.
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