This has been a year of profound realizations for me. Personally and professionally.
The holiday season always gets me verklempt and this year is no different. The lights, sounds, scents, gatherings, general feelings of positivity and love…gets me every time!
I recognized how #blessed, but earnestly, how RICH I am.
- I have been blessed with great health: I actively work on my mental and physical every day and while some days are much better than others, I am thankful that I wake up in the morning and am able to get out of bed and “Just Live”.
- Millennial outlier: I LIKE MY JOB! Again, some days and some years are better than others, but I ultimately love what I do – teach children how to exercise, play fairly, eat right, care for themselves, prevent the spread of diseases, share light and love. I adore my colleagues and am so appreciative for the laughs, advice, and general camaraderie we have. To quote a colleague (he says it every year at our opening day department meeting) “we have the BEST job in the world!” He’s right. We may not be rich in dollars, but we are rich in company, pedagogy, and have the awesome responsibility to enrich the lives of hundreds of children each day.
- I am a BILLIONAIRE when it comes to my incredible support system: my husband 😍, my parents 😚, my brother and sister 😘, my in-laws 💖, my grandparents, aunt, uncles, cousins ❤️, our friends 🤗… they have shown me time and time again how love and friendship are timeless, forgiving, accepting, hilarious, caring, forward-thinking, genuine. To quote my dear friend, “…I can’t complain. I love my house and my dog and my husband. Broke or not life is great”. Amen, sister.
Listening and paying attention to all of the signs this world presents to me, gratitude was found in this message and memory that my late aunt sent me as a sign the other day (thanks Facebook memories):
Reflecting on this life and the people I have known and know, opportunities and experiences I have had, and the journey that is yet to come, I feel an overwhelming sense of grace, gratitude, positivity, and love.
My Christmas Wish for each of you is that you search and reflect and recognize how rich you are and how thankful I am to know you and have you in my life.
All my love (and all the Oxford commas in the world),
Ariana
