Seven Days for Giving Thanks Day 1: Friends

^{Tis the season for giving thanks and remembering all the blessings in our lives. I know we should do it every day (and I have been trying to do it more in the last few weeks), but I don’t always get it done as I feel I ought. For that purpose, I want to spend the next week writing posts that express my thanks for blessings in my life. I meant to start yesterday, but, alas, I didn’t get around to it yesterday. So today there will likely be two posts.}

^{I think I’d like to start my thankful posts by giving thanks for my wonderful friends.}

^{As I’ve mentioned in past posts, the last year has been very trying for me. Parts of it have been extremely difficult for me to even make it through. Among other things, I’ve had a great network of friends who’ve supported me and been there for me when I needed it most. Honestly, words can’t even begin to express how much their support meant to me.}

^{I’m a social creature, and I thrive on opportunities to get together with these friends. I’m almost never happier than when I’m in a room surrounded by people I care for, listening to their stories, talking to them and just having an all-around fantastic time.}

^{I have appreciated these great friends talking to me, laughing with me and in their own ways, just showing me how much they care. Along those same lines, these friends have also prayed for me and my family at a time of great need.}

^{I hope that in some small way I’ve been able to be a good friend to them as they to me. And if/when the time comes that they need support too, I hope to be able to offer the same to them. I would post pictures of these great friends, but I don’t have pictures of all of them, and I’m afraid I would miss someone, so I’m going to hold off. But just know I’m extremely grateful for them, pictures or not.}