Thankful EVERY Day.

I personally do not "celebrate" Thanksgiving. Being from a large family, I of course have partaken int he tradition of the big turkey, trimmings, pies and family being together. But to give thanks one day a year, to me, is absurd. Especially considering the history of the holiday. I am not going to go into the history of Thanksgiving, but I suggest you google, "Squanto". Look for a link from the History Channel. You willl be quite surprised, as I was, what the true history of this holiday truly is. I am not being a nazi about it. I am going today to my oldest brother's to have dinner and be with family. But, I don't "need" a national holiday to be thankful. There are days, like all of us, that I don't feel as thankful. One of the things I didn't mention in my intorduction, dear readers, is that I am in a wheelchair. I was born with spina bifida. I have had many many surgeries. I also failed to mention, I am on dialysis 3 days a week. But, I am still thankful. I could've been a lot worse off. I could've been born blind, retarded, and not socially accepted, as the doctors so bluntly told my mother when I was born. But, I had a family that didn't allowed that to stop me. Especially my father. They made me feel "normal".  Six years ago, I started dialysis. After years of kidney failure, praying they'd "wake up", they didn't. I wish I had an inspirational story that I smile through it, I prayed thriough it and no one saw my pain. But, I was very angry. I kept denying and denying. Even up until August 6th 2005 when I started my first treatment. But reflecitng on that time, it made me even stronger. I am thankful for having dialysis. I could've been born in India, where I would've been an untouchable from birth. Only to be cast aside by family to live on the street as a begger. I have met many, many amazing people on this journey with dialysis. Veterans, teachers, doctors, mothers, fathers. All of them have a special place in my heart, and I would've never met them without dialysis. So, I guess I just want to say, I don't need a "Day of Thanksgiving" to be thankful. I am thankful EVERYDAY.