I wrote a post last year at this time, and the year before that. As families hang together and eat way too much, this time of year makes us think about what we love and what we lost, mostly. When thinking about the holidays this year, I can’t help but to selfishly think about loss and the people I wish were still here. I think about the first Thanksgiving and Christmas without Grandma Helen, the second without Grandma Margaret. I think of my friends who lost a parent, for people who lost a friend. My eyes swell at the thought and I want to shake it off, because how lucky am I to have memories with the people who are no longer with us, and to make memories with the people who I get to spend the holidays with?

This year, I am thankful for memories and moments and for being able to close my eyes and remember. I am thankful for the things I have, but I am more thankful for the people I have. This has weighed on my mind and heart more and more lately, and I’ve found myself saying “yes” to more experiences, for long drives home and up north, for lunch dates and meeting friends after wedding days this year for the sake of fun. It’s beyond scary to think, but you just never really know how long we have with the people we love. Experiences, family and friends are priority, not staying up until 1am to get a blog post out. Let’s find joy in filling our apartment with photos of family and greeting cards sent in the mail, not expensive things. Let’s put our phones away instead of staring at screens during dinner. Let’s take time off from work and not spend said time off thinking about work. We are all guilty of these things, of losing perspective sometimes.

Let’s be thankful for perspective. For really putting what’s real and what truly matters first. For love and for the people who make our days brighter. For moments and for memories with lost loves and the loves we get to see this weekend…

… because that’s what it’s all about!