Thank You & Good Night...

As I progress on to counting the days till Christmas...one of my favorite seasons of the year...I can't help but be stoic due to the circumstances that occurs during this time.
As I live day after day, I thank a higher power for making me open my eyes to each day and remembering that it is a gift...that's why it's called the present; I also give thanks for the endurance provided to me so I can get home safely;I give thanks for the patience, I learned those many days I sat side by side with my Uncle Bobby as we waited for fish to tug on our lines during those long days of fishing trips (the only time I get to spend with someone I consider my father in moments of silence not having to talk about anything or be pressured to say anything to each other);I thank my dear soul sister for always knowing what I feel even when we're miles apart...for seeing me when I wanted to be invisible;I thank my elders for always guiding me, and trusting my better judgment despite my flaws;I thank my younger cousins for looking up to me and thinking I'm super-woman in spite of my mortality and vulnerability; I thank my sisters for just being who they are...as they grow with love and understanding in the shadow of a believer (one who believes they will be great human beings who shall contribute greatly to the world in their own little way);I give thanks to my grandmother for being that immovable rock...steady and unyielding;I give thanks to my mother...for making me who I am. I give thanks to my friends who lets me laugh with wholehearted joy, and accepts me even when I've made a fool of myself, who lets me cry without having to ask why and who takes me dancing when I'm mad;I give thanks to the rich and powerful for making me feel humbled yet ambitious;I give thanks to the poor and desolate for letting me see through their eyes the insatiable desire to be heard...and lastly, I give thanks to my heart and my conscience...for having the courage to withstand the tests of time and knowing what is right when everyone else says you're wrong.