Thanksgiving. Red Dawn. Migraines.
Yes, I know. Blood may shoot out of my eyes on this one. But I'm going for it anyway.
What could be better than a holiday that celebrates life in all its forms. Thanksgiving isn't about being thankful for stuff, though I'm certainly thankful for chocolate cream pie! It's a time to reflect on the bounty of our lives. Our health, our family and friends, and the ability to pursue success and happiness. We celebrate these things because we understand there is no guarantee that we will have them tomorrow. In fact, I wake up many nights terrified of losing the right to pursue those joys in life.
That's where the movie Red Dawn comes in. I haven't seen the current remake yet (I'm going today!), but I'm familiar with the story line. To me, the idea of something external, beyond my control, taking over my life and forcing me to do something is horrifying. But the thing that calms my fears is knowing there's a way out. I'm perfectly willing to fight for that way out (which is probably why I love writing romantic suspense so much). But I need to know it exists. I don't want anybody making my choices for me. I suffered that when I was a child. But I'm an adult now and I want to forge my own path in life. I have that right. That's what's so cool about the movie, Red Dawn. In the movie a small group of young people refuse to just succumb to the usurpation of their world. They fight for the people they love and for the freedoms our forefathers died to give us. I think that's a very uplifting message and I embrace it. I'm thankful that stories like this exist.
Which brings me to migraines. I've suffered them since I was in high school. They pretty much suck. Like any health issue, a headache isn't planned or welcome, but I do believe that what I would call internal challenges such as physical pain make us stronger in the end. Over the years I've learned what I need to do to work my way through a migraine and I have some measure of control over how much they debilitate and their duration. I met the enemy and I...well...kind of conquered it. As long as I know I can do that I'm okay. I'm thankful even for my pain because it teaches me to be proactive, strong, and resilient.
So life is to be embraced, appreciated, and celebrated on Thanksgiving and every day. With the right attitude, life can be enhanced by the external things that threaten us. Meeting those threats head on strengthens and frees us from our fears. And life is improved by internal challenges like pain and illness, because they help us appreciate the things that are really important, instead of focusing on the negatives all the time. Which brings me to the end of my link. (That snapping sound you heard was the sound of the link closing!)
Happy Thanksgiving everybody!
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