I never thought I'd say this, but...

[SierraLea]

The traditional "What are you thankful for" thread, but with a twist.
What thing are you thankful for that you never thought in a million years you would be thankful for? Answers to this have been struggles with cancer, a first move, and other things just to give you an idea of what I'm talking about.

[ClaecElric4God]

I'm thankful for the "suck it up" attitude I was raised with. In a family with a less than senstitive dad and 7 older siblings, that was always something I hated as a kid. But after spending the last couple weeks with a family that is super over-protective and worry-wartish, I've really come to appreciate my family's point of view. I never thought I'd appreciate a lack of sympathy and concern. Go figure.

[Mr. Rogers]

I think this last year or so,I have really been challenged in my ideas of what it means to "have enough" in a material sense. I have had some difficult situations and people, who are themselves in difficult situations, have continually helped me and my new family. I definitely don't have any excuses not to tithe anymore. I'm looking forward to getting to be generous to other people.

[Yuki-Anne]

I'm thankful for experiencing financial instability, undecided living arrangements, and unemployment this past spring. It makes me really grateful for what I have now.

EDIT: I also am thankful that California (where we were living during the unstable period) is a hell-hole for the poor and unemployed because it makes me so very happy and grateful to live and work just about anywhere else.

RE-EDIT: I also just realized how awful it sounds that I'm thankful California sucks for the poor and unemployed, which... that's not what I meant, I just meant that California's awfulness makes me more thankful for the things I have now, and... er... YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!
Anyway, to anybody struggling to make ends meet in California, my first and only piece of advice is to live almost ANYWHERE else.
...New Mexico's pretty cheap.

[Xeno]

Answers to this have been struggles with cancer

I've had cancer and I'm not thankful at all for it.

That said, it was nice having a reminder of how useless roommates can be.

[anlptgtsg]

I'm thankful for times when I feel I'm in my lowest days and still more disappointment comes that makes me feel lower than my previous lowest days of my life. It helps me get through to hard things so much easier than before.

[Kaori]

When I moved back to the States, I didn't feel a strong attachment to my hometown and planned to move potentially to another state, wherever I ended up getting a job. In fact, I when I was first searching for jobs I really would have preferred to move somewhere away from my hometown.

However, I'm now very grateful that I didn't get any of those out-of-state jobs that I applied for, because during the time I was looking for a job I became really attached to the church where I am currently worshiping, to such an extent that I would be very loath to move away right now.

Also, not in a sense of "I'm grateful for this even though it seems like a negative thing" but just in a sense of "I'm grateful for this thing in my life that was completely unexpected," I am really grateful for Orthodoxy. Two years ago it would not even have crossed my mind that I might be exploring Orthodoxy right now; it simply was not on my radar. But whether or not I ever become Orthodox, there are things in Orthodoxy that have greatly helped and enriched me. (If anyone is curious I would be happy to give specifics via PM.)

Along similar lines, I thought this line from the prayer that was read in the church service I attended on Thanksgiving is rather apropos to the thread:

"We thank you, O Lord, for the sufferings you bestowed upon us, for they are purifying us from selfishness and reminding us of the 'one thing needed': your eternal Kingdom."

This is a hard thing to pray (one naturally tends to balk at it, or at least I do), but by the grace of God it can be true.

[Sammy Boy]

I am thankful for:

- family
- friends
- work colleagues
- having enough to eat
- continued health despite lack of rest at times due to work and domestic duties

[Sheenar]

As hard as it is, I am thankful for mitochondrial disease. I would never would have been likely to learn empathy for other people --and I probably would be pretty self-important and prideful. It sucks to have mito, but I have made great friends through support groups and other avenues that I would not have in my life otherwise. Now I am in a position to advocate for others to help them navigate the system like I have had to --and guide them to services available to help and support systems to encourage them.

[Banana Lobster]

I'm grateful for my siblings, even though they tend to drive me up the walls.

[Anirac]

I'm grateful for becoming a Christian. At the top of my atheist arrogance, I thought having faith was like falling from grace. Little did I know that my world was upside down, and that I wasn't falling, I was rising.

I'm grateful for the pain of a long distance relationship. It makes me appreciate every single moment I'm with my husband.

I'm grateful for Immigration Canada taking their time with processing my Permanent Residence Application. In the meantime I couldn't work, so I devoted myself entirely to becoming a good housewife.

I'm grateful for my mother's mental illness and the hell it put us through. I remember well what hell looks and sounds like, and I do not wish to go back.

[Rusty Claymore]

That my first two trips to Japan were kind of flops. They opened my eyes to things I'd never noticed before, and in a way painful enough to remember when I get #3. >_<

[Cat96]

That I get muscle pains in my neck often as a result of an accident a few years ago. It reminds me of how easy I got off compared to what could've easily happened. It strengthened my faith because of how I was protected from serious injury when I could've easily been hurt really bad when I was several hours away from home on vacation.

That my parents divorced. It really forced me to grow up and be more independant. It also gave me a great sibling-like relationship with a kid who I see as a little brother (and I always wanted a younger sibling even if we weren't related).

[Kaori]

I horribly failed my first-ever job interview in Japanese. Very painful experience, but as a result:

1) I now know what to expect and what kind of answers to prepare so if it happens again I won't be going in completely blind. And precisely in proportion to how painful the mistakes I made are to me, I'm very likely to not make them again.
2) I got some really good breaks at my current workplace, which is the place I was working before and ended up not leaving.
3) I've gotten to meet some more Japanese people who have come to my workplace on a business trip, and I'm really glad to have been able to meet those specific individuals.

[Furen]

I'm grateful for my siblings, even though they tend to drive me up the walls.

You totally know you'll see that.

I'm glad I got fired from my cabinetmaking job. I didn't want to do it as a job, but I wouldn't have figured that out. I would have just stayed and worked myself to death because that's what I went to school for. I am really grateful that I took the class though.

[Mave]

This is probably superficial for some (sorry abt this in advance) but I'm thankful for the fact that it's extremely difficult for me to lose fat/weight. While I hate having to exercise extra hard to shed any pounds, this has kept me constantly on the lookout to be physically fit and disciplined with my diet at all times.

I recently lost my father to cancer and can attest that it's extremely difficult to feel grateful after going through that. I have no words to say that could bring comfort or peace. *hugs*

[TheAlbinoMoose]

I'm thankful for the "suck it up" attitude I was raised with. In a family with a less than senstitive dad and 7 older siblings, that was always something I hated as a kid. But after spending the last couple weeks with a family that is super over-protective and worry-wartish, I've really come to appreciate my family's point of view. I never thought I'd appreciate a lack of sympathy and concern. Go figure.

That's a lot of siblings you got there, bro... :O I have three already but I want a big sister so I'll take one, just name the price. xD

I'm grateful for not having a driver's license yet ~ it's certainly time I dragged myself and someone else who's willing over to the DMV, but for a long time I've thought that I was an inferior person because I didn't have one, which is ridiculous. I've come to realize that basing my self-esteem on something like whether I drive or not is going to block my view from what really matters. Also, I see now that driving is super boring and annoying and when I finally do go to the DMV you bet I'll be ready cause I'VE BEEN DRIVING WITH A PERMIT FOR TWO YEARS *rips hair out*

[shooraijin]

I recently lost my father to cancer and can attest that it's extremely difficult to feel grateful after going through that. I have no words to say that could bring comfort or peace. *hugs*

I'm sorry to hear that.

[ClaecElric4God]

I'm thankful for the "suck it up" attitude I was raised with. In a family with a less than senstitive dad and 7 older siblings, that was always something I hated as a kid. But after spending the last couple weeks with a family that is super over-protective and worry-wartish, I've really come to appreciate my family's point of view. I never thought I'd appreciate a lack of sympathy and concern. Go figure.

That's a lot of siblings you got there, bro... :O I have three already but I want a big sister so I'll take one, just name the price. xD

I'm grateful for not having a driver's license yet ~ it's certainly time I dragged myself and someone else who's willing over to the DMV, but for a long time I've thought that I was an inferior person because I didn't have one, which is ridiculous. I've come to realize that basing my self-esteem on something like whether I drive or not is going to block my view from what really matters. Also, I see now that driving is super boring and annoying and when I finally do go to the DMV you bet I'll be ready cause I'VE BEEN DRIVING WITH A PERMIT FOR TWO YEARS *rips hair out*

Well, I mean, I have 5. Take your pick, I'll pay you to take one.

Driving is overrated. That said, I'm thankful for being somewhere where I can't drive! I totaled my Jeep last February, and from then to August I dealt with really, really bad driving anxiety that never completely went away. So coming to Japan and being able to get anywhere I want by bike or bus or train is a blessing. I'm so glad to not have to be behind a wheel anymore. That's probably a silly, foolish thing to be grateful for, and I realize eventually I'll have to drive again; but for now, I'm glad to have the break.

[Sheenar]

Not silly at all! I can relate. After my wreck, I was really anxious driving. Even now that I no longer drive, as a passenger I get anxious if a car comes close to the one I'm riding in.

This is hard to say, but I'm thankful for the struggles I have --the ones I haven't been able to overcome through sheer willpower and keep struggling with over and over and over. Because those things led me to the current program I'm in and the people I've connected with and now I have a great support system in those fellow believers who also struggle and we can walk through this journey together.