#GiveThanks: Gratitude

Photo courtesy of marynbtol

Thanksgiving has become more than just 1 day of overeating, stretchy pants, and cranberry stains. It has turned into a month long celebration of thanks and gratitude. It's become the time of year when most of your friends are posting to Facebook every day with something they're thankful for.

I think gratitude is a beautiful thing, but it's also a very challenging thing. Especially when you are fighting something that's difficult and life changing. Sometimes it's hard to see past the challenge and remember that even though we haven't received our heart's desire, we are still blessed in other ways.

I don't have the family that I want, yet. But I do have an amazing family. I'm grateful to my husband who is there for me and supports me in everything I do. He sticks by me even on my darkest days, and I'm so grateful to have such an amazing man to call my husband and best friend.

I'm blessed with an amazing mom and sisters who care about my journey and support me. They are genuinely curious about what I'm going through and want to understand me on a deeper level. And I'm so very lucky to have that. I know a lot of people who don't.

And I'm thankful for the friends I've made and the support I receive from people who I've never even met. These women are there for me in a way that no one else can be, because they are living it just as I am. They know the darkness and they don't shy away from it. They provide a safe haven when I feel like I'm going crazy.

Lastly, I'm thankful for Resolve.org for being a voice in the infertility community to so many women who feel stigmatized and aren't uncomfortable speaking for themselves. Resolve is such an inspiring organization and I hope to volunteer more of my time to further their efforts of advocacy and support.

Gratitude is something I need to work on and to make a conscious effort to remind myself of on a daily basis. I've tried to turn my daily prayers into a list of things I'm grateful for, instead of a list of things I want. It has helped me feel more at peace knowing that even if things don't work out the way I expect them to, I'm still blessed in so many ways.

What are you thankful for this year?

Related Posts:
5 Reasons I'm Grateful for Infertility
#GiveVoice Part 1: Top 5 Reasons Infertiles Keep Their Journey a Secret
#GiveVoice Part 2: Top 5 Reasons You SHOULD Share Your Infertility Journey