Way back in November of 2015, I wrote a pretty standard holiday blog post about what I was grateful for. This week I re-read it, and marveled at how different life is now, five years later. In my head, 2015 still doesn't seem like that long ago, but five years is more than a fifth of my life. A lot has been packed into those five years!
For context: Thanksgiving of 2015, I had just graduated high school that spring. I was still working at Market Basket. I was only in my second season of skating with TOI Boston. I was single, and living at home.
Today, I'm living in an apartment with my boyfriend. We have a dog. I'm in college, and working fulltime through two jobs. A large portion of my work is self-employed. I'm skating professionally.
On Thanksgiving Day 2015, I wrote: "2015 was the year of the unexpected. It held so much heart ache, and so many achieved goals. I'd say I grew up more this year than I ever have before. I've been doing a lot of thinking to what was going on in my head this time last year, and it seems both just yesterday and a million years ago. For a lot of reasons, I'd say I'm not even the same girl."
Replace 2015 with 2020, and insert a (slightly) less dramatic attitude, and I could have written that paragraph today. This year has held a lot of hard decisions and heartache for most of us, but it's also given me the opportunity to chase some goals that I might not have otherwise. I feel like I have grown up a lot this year, and truly embarked on my adulthood in a way that 18 year-old Gillian certainly hadn't. I am for sure the same person I have always been. But I do feel more grounded, a little older, and a little more capable.
For Thanksgiving 2020, I am thankful for:
My work, which is finally starting to feel like a "career" and not just a "job."
The fact that coaching is now the vast majority of my income.
The other local coaches that do so much to encourage, support, and teach me.
Youtube yoga videos.
Renewed energy towards skating, and making time to focus on my growth as a skater again.
Getting to perform in a Christmas show locally.
Learning more about choreography and stretching my creativity with American Ice Theater's MCT course.
My (much more reliable than in 2015) car.
Houseplants, and my patio veggie garden this summer.
Our cozy little apartment, it's great natural light, and our quick walks to downtown.
The cozy sweatpants I've been living in lately.
The Creative Bug subscription I just found I get for FREE through our library!
A puppy I've grown to love way more than I thought I would.
M planner.
My Airpods.
Audiobooks.
Building new friendships, and stronger friendships.
Coffee, and seltzer water.
Chris, and the adventurous yet grounded life he gives me.
The hard work of navigating new family dynamics.
Challenging myself to critically think about what I believe, and what I support.
A holiday season spent at home!!
Show opportunities coming up.
Therapy.
Good books.
This year is different. We ended up driving down to New Jersey to be with Chris' parents for the holiday (limiting exposure before, and no indoor stops on the way down, of course). I hope you've all found safe and cozy ways to celebrate. "These are the days" has been echoing in my head lately, and I'm trying to be conscientious about soaking up the remainder of the year, instead of wishing it away. All we have is today.
Happy Thanksgiving! xoxo.
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