Thankful Thanksgiving Calendar

Inspired by John Scalzi over at his Whatever blog, I’ve decided to do a daily post of something I am thankful for every day leading up to Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is one of those holidays that has generally become about the trappings rather than it’s original meaning. I really liked the idea and I’ve decided to give it a whirl.

Today, in honor of her birthday, I’ve decide my first thing to be thankful for is my little sister. Now, we haven’t always gotten along. In fact, for much of our childhood we were quite…well, hostile isn’t the right word…combative? I thought she was a brat and annoying, she thought me mean and annoying.

Eventually I went to college, and we got along a little better, but not much. I had always fought with my older sister, but after she went off to college we ended up getting along quite well. With my little sister, we still fought a lot. She even lived with me for a short time while I was still at Florida, and while we got along better, it wasn’t great. For awhile there it was unclear where her life was headed.

Then she got pregnant. Everything changed and for the better. She wasn’t ready to have a baby but she stepped up and really turned herself around. She did what she needed to do to take care of that baby. Now’s she’s an EMT and training to become a firefighter. My niece is a wonderful girl and is in 2nd grade and by all reports an excellent student.

I’m thankful for my sister, because she’s my sister. But also for proving that people who seem lost can turn themselves around. That everyone is capable of great things if they have the right motivation.