Today I find myself completely awash with gratitude for many of the people in my life and I have no choice but to shout my adoration from the rooftops. The danger for me in not doing so is that I’ll fall into the trap of actively despising the rest of them. You know who you (they) are – the haters. The ones who read this and everyone else’s posts on social  media and lurk with judgment, jealousy and negativity. The ones who, instead of participating in a conversation on- or offline, wallow in the misery of their own self-hatred. So rather than tumble down that rabbit hole of despair, I choose love. And as Mother Teresa famously said, “It was never between you and them anyway.”

Thank you to my husband. Thank you for quietly and patiently allowing me to spread my wings and fly to every corner of the world (and the internet) on a whim. Thank you for actively supporting my need to express myself in different ways and for keeping your eye rolls and fears of backlash from your own network of friends and family to yourself. Thank you for letting nearly all of my daily neuroses roll off your back. Thank you for knowing and respecting how fragile I can be even when I am still trying to be a tough bitch. Thank you for doing your best to bring joy to my life every day. You get me.

Thank you to my family. Moms, dads, siblings, grandparents, and now children – you have all shaped me into the woman I am today. A woman who is comfortable in her own skin, unafraid to take risks and to be vulnerable. To be able to live life with little to no fear is such a gift. To truly believe, with all my heart, in the words “this too shall pass” is a blessing. This optimism comes only from being brought up in homes full of unconditional love and support. Your encouragement has never waned and for that I am eternally grateful. You get me.

Thank you to my vast, yet blissfully intimate, group of friends. You know exactly who you are. I love you like I’ve known you my whole life, even if I’ve only known you a short while, even if we only talk during a crisis or on Facebook. Thank you for trusting me with your secrets, your fears and your wildest dreams. Thank you for protecting mine like they are your own. Thank you for your wisdom, your music, your teachings, your food, your sanity, your insanity and your unconditional love. You get me.

Lastly, thank you to the haters. Thank you for giving me the perspective I need to cherish the lovers. Thank you for helping to blur the lines between family and friends. My friends are my family and my family are my friends. You are just the outliers that contribute to the diversity of my environment, providing the fodder that continues to strengthen the bonds I hold dear. You don’t get me, I don’t get you, but we can still celebrate our differences.

#notmeus