I am thankful that every morning when I wake up, there is a roof over my head, food on my table, and clothes on my back. No person should ever wake up without these things.

I am thankful that I never experience what it feels like to fear for my safety. No one should ever fear for their safety.

I am thankful that I live in a country where it is ok (for now) to spend much of my day criticizing it. Freedom of expression is a basic human right.

I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to go back to school and get to meet so many people of different backgrounds and ideas. I am thinking about things that I haven’t thought about since I was a young man. Education is also a basic human right and is the ultimate mind and door opener.

I am thankful for having friends and acquaintances around the world who make my life diverse and interesting.

I am thankful for having a few close friends who no matter how long its been always make me feel like we saw each other yesterday.

I am thankful for having a family that knows me, understands me, and still loves me. I couldn’t imagine a life without them.