Thanksgiving: The Annual What?

It's so strange for me to think that a year ago, I was doing this same thing. My blog had just started, people were just tuning in, I had already almost given up hope on being good at this stuff. I almost scrapped this altogether.
But that didn't really happen,
And thank the Lord it didn't! I've gotten to express so many wonderful opinions and original stories, and landmarks in my life, though I haven't done it very much lately, and I'm starting to feel the freshness I once had slip between my fingers as I type on this clunky keyboard.
So, to start with, I'd like to thank you, whomever you may be, for reading this, and actually caring about what some random seventeen-year-old has to say.

Now let's get to what I'm really trying to say.

Thanksgiving has officially been skipped. "What?" You say, "Why, I just had a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner yesterday!" That may be true, but how much did you really appreciate that day? What thankfulness did you share besides over grace at the table with family? Even in my own home, with a family who is usually excellent at this, we failed to ask each other what we were truly thankful for. And that makes me quite sad, because this year, I think I've had more to be thankful for than any previous year. Let's make a short list:

• I've discovered the thing I want to do for the rest of my life, and that's quite rare for a man at my young age to say
• I've got the most loving, caring, brilliant family one could ask for. Even if my brother is a moron most of the time. (Love you homie)
• Speaking of homies, I've got the BEST homies. Ones that come from all walks of life, race, nationality, personality. We are squad, and squad is the best.
• I've been given creativity, and this past year has been the climax of my artistic career. I released a single with my man Charlie this past September, I wrote Tan Jacket, which I consider my greatest piece of writing. I've been several wonderful roles in even more wonderful shows, and was even nominated for my role as Cogsworth from Beauty and the Beast. I was Tevye. I don't want to even start there because I'm already choking up just typing those words.
• I've worked with the best. Not the BEST best, like you may think of. But the best that changed my life. Mr. Nesseth, Mr. Struyk, Mrs. Melugin, Sarah Portz, Ben Olson, the Gronowskis; just to name a few. Each of these people have left an enormous impact on my life, and I cannot wait until I work with them more.
• My parents are incredibly successful. I love being able to say that my dad runs a school, or that my mom has won SEVERAL awards for excellence in her field, including Rep of the year from InFocus, and Shure. They are successful, wonderful, intelligent, caring, BRILLIANT people, and my life would not live without them and their support.
• I have an amazing girlfriend, and although we've only been dating for roughly three weeks, she means the world to me, and I know I mean the same thing to her. 

There's more. And I am BLESSED to say that there is more. But I'm saddened at the fact that this is being overlooked, or overshadowed by the infamous Black Friday, and the glorious Christmas.
I don't like the idea that the day after we give thanks we rush out at 1 a.m. to buy things we don't have.
I don't like the idea that sales run all week for Black Friday
I don't like the idea of overshadowing a wonderful human emotion, one that many of us lack lately.
I don't like the idea of Black Friday.
I don't like Black Friday.

I like Thanksgiving.
I like giving thanks, and not just posting that I'm thankful for so that you don't look like a bad person. That I truly reflect on my life and what I overlook daily and reap them in to a pile of amazing grace, love, and joy.

I like thankfulness, and I know you do too.
Trust me, I messed this up too.
Next year, let's both promise to not forget the thing that keeps us grounded.