The publisher of the Mississippi newspaper where I worked was a journalist this year suspended me without pay after police in a nearby city arrested and jailed me related to a drunk driving charge, a crime I did not commit. I was informed I wasn’t wanted to return to work after the judge acquitted me of the crime. Resurfacing to regroup in Washington, D.C., giving thanks and gratitude during this holiday season feels much easier than I anticipated.

Volunteering at the Capital Area Food Bank a few days before Thanksgiving provided an chance to help reduce food insecurity during the time of year many of us just worry about getting another piece of pumpkin pie or turkey. We often take so much for granted, things we don’t think about until they're threatened or lose them altogether. This reminds me of Christmas Eve nine years ago when I spent the night in a hospital waiting area as my mother struggled in an intensive care unit.

Working as an Americorps volunteer, I do not receive an official wage for my role as a volunteer coordinator at Reading Partners, a nonprofit organization that connects volunteer tutors with elementary school students behind in reading. It does provide a modest stipend and health insurance. However, this role provides many other benefits I never thought I’d receive. In my work as a journalist, I have written about poverty and spent time with people living in it. I even spent a week one December immersed among the homeless community in Mississippi. My current situation has immersed me deeper into the poverty experience. I stood in line a few months ago inside a department of human services office and applied for and received an EBT card, what many people still call food stamps. I debated whether to apply for it but decided to proceed, in part because of my initial thoughts of shame I've associated with food stamps and public assistance. I stood in a long, snakey line of people with extremely limited resources. Standing among the poorest in our society, I felt thankful for the experience, the chance to go through the process common to people in poverty. I call it a special project in empathy.

Experiences this year convinced me to feel thankful for lessons learned and promise of redemption. Growing up poor in a dysfunctional family in Mississippi can make a person look for redemption tomorrow when today feels desperate and hopeless. I even created an event in Starkville, Mississippi about redemption and one of my heroes – the Johnny Cash Flower Pickin' Festival. He was arrested in 1965 for the offense he described as "picking flowers" but local authorities called public drunkenness.

My experience in jail and leaving my journalism job led me to reflect on other times when I found tenacity to find better opportunities and meaning in life. My mother's death and other setbacks in life come to mind. It felt like I fought for my reputation as it stood trial in a Hattiesburg, Mississippi courtroom. The judge assigned me to a public defender, saving me thousands of dollars I did not have for legal representation; however, it also meant my attorney had a huge backlog of cases and little time to devote to each one. I knew I had to apply skills and insight as a reporter who navigated bureaucracy and law to help defend myself. I made public records requests, consulted with experts, analyzed data I compiled. The public defender did not know he represented until the day before my trial was first scheduled. It’s a good thing I showed up with a folder full of my research: the police report, the full Breathalyzer report, analysis of related data, and related scientific reports. During my trial, the police officer did not tell the truth on a key statement, something revealed by a police officer with him the night of my arrest. It also helped when the judge saw in court body camera footage contradicting many statements in the police report.

The judge acquitted me of the charge, DUI first offense, but I still didn't have a paycheck. Still, I’m thankful for those setbacks since I would not have discovered my life now. I’m thankful to tutor kids who struggle for a chance at success in a world of unequal opportunity. I’m thankful for the chance to acknowledge much worse has happened to people who also committed no crime.

I lost my source of income and gained emotional trauma but didn’t lose my desire to make a difference in the lives of others.

I give thanks for friends who reached out to me this year to make sure I remembered my ability to recover from much worse. I remain indebted to a credit line of friends I probably don’t deserve but who still support me, helping me keep perspective.

I give thanks for the chance during my struggle to strengthen connections, including with my father, a man with whom I've had an estranged relationship for many years. Despite our past, I give him credit for bailing me out of jail after watching me wear a red and white striped jumpsuit, shackles and chains during my initial court appearance. Like a country song, my dad, a hunter, literally pawned a gun to get his son out of jail. For one of the first times I recall, I felt like he believed in me. He and two of my friends attended my trial in a state not known for easily handing out not guilty verdicts. State statistics show historical conviction rates related to DUI charges hover in the 90 percent range.

I now find simple pleasures in Washington, D.C., activities like riding my bicycle along historic areas and reflecting on the ideals of this country, also reflecting on my personal and professional values. I felt like I had lost everything during the month or so after I was told I wasn’t wanted at my hometown newspaper. Fortunately, a mentor reminded me the only way I'd lose everything is if I believed that was the case and reminded me of my professional accomplishments. I'm thankful for his support and insights.

This year has reminded me wealth comes in many forms beyond numbers in a bank account and expensive purchases. I’ve learned so much during this season of loss, learned to let go of hurt, anger and bitterness. I've tried to live in the present moment while writing and working toward my next chapter.

I give thanks for reaching a point where it feels good to be me again. I also give thanks for life's not always gentle reminders to find value in each experience. Life reminded me this year of people facing hunger, people arrested, jailed, jobless and not sure where to turn. Life has reminded me of those who can’t see a future with them in it. I've learned people who go without today can be you and me in a different time and place.

I also give thanks for my sense of humor, especially during the serious moments.

I've remembered life offers a finite amount of time to make our mark in this world, that we can learn from so many experiences and people if we're open to the lessons.

After experiencing what this year has offered, I also remember why I spent years in journalism writing and telling meaningful stories. Losing my byline this year hurt. I have started reaching out to contacts for professional opportunities to make a positive impact.

I look forward to living and writing future chapters.