Even though Thanksgiving is historically irrelevant to the Philippines, my family is still holding a celebratory dinner tonight. Relatives will come together in the name of roast chicken (because we didn’t have time to buy turkey) and be grateful. Together.

I’ve been a pretty annoying version of myself lately so I figured (after two glasses of wine from last night’s dinner to celebrate my sister’s anniversary with her boyfriend — nine years, people!) that it was time to finally tell all the ugly thoughts in my head to go suck it. I need to let that which does not matter truly slide (Fight Club) which means: goodbye drama, goodbye shallow annoyances, goodbye toxic ties that bind.

Ugh, I am so over this season of my life. I choose to be grateful.

That being said, a list!

Isabel Garcia’s Thanksgiving List 2010:

1. The opportunity to be with children, hear the funniest things every day, get the nicest hugs in the world and call it work.
2. The people who stuck around even when my life was a disaster or my personality was crappy. The people who sent e-mails or texts or set coffee dates or dragged me to some part of the metro just to tell me I would be okay, even when I honestly thought otherwise. The people who are truly living and truly loving and are brave enough to do both. You know who you are. You inspire me.
3. JK Rowling, for reminding me to be brave even though we live in dark times. On a tangent that isn’t completely unrelated, 3a: I am also grateful for Rupert Grint, who is almost certainly going to be the father of my future babies.
4. Books I have fallen in love with. Thank you for helping me believe in other worlds. This one just isn’t big enough.
5. My new resolve to say no to the dispensable, unhealthy or unnecessary. This includes my newfound belief in closed doors.
6. Love. I still believe in you.
7. God. Because now I can say that I honestly trust You. With or without the safety net. I can never bet on You and lose. You thought I was good enough to be a part of this crazy place called Earth and the amazing thing is, You actually think I’m good enough to make it better.
8. The internet, which consumes so much of my time but also helps keep me afloat. As crazy as it sounds, the internet served as a cushion for some of life’s most searing blows. Call it escapism but I would’ve learned and grown so much less without it.
9. A blank slate and the rising hope for a fantastic future.
10. You. Because you are different pairs of eyes reading this tiny little blog in some remote part of cyberspace and it matters. You matter. Thank you. <3

The roast chicken has arrived, which signals my cue to end this entry. But let me leave you with a question: what are you thankful for?

May you have plenty of reasons. Life is crazy but it’s beautiful. Have a love affair with it.