art by Chibi-Jen-Hen

Here in the United States, we are celebrating Thanksgiving, a national holiday that is supposed to be focused on recognizing all we have and being thankful for it.

Now, I'll be the first to admit, the holiday itself is a mess. Thanksgiving has long been overshadowed by the upcomingness of Christmas. The tradition of giving thanks on this holiday is being swiftly eroded by an expanding Black Friday and all that comes with it. And it is not entirely unfair to compare the origin of the holiday to the happy moments at the beginning of The Red Wedding. There have been times when I considered Wednesday's speech in Addams' Family Values a most fitting tribute:

But I believe it is important to exercise giving thanks. It is not something to be confined to a single date on the calender, but something to be practiced regularly. And if nothing else, Thanksgiving should serve as a reminder to do so for those of us who have forgotten.

I, for one, have more to be thankful for than I could ever express. I have a loving family, close friends, employment, entertainment and a roof over my head. And more than that, I have a massively supportive community of fans and friends. And every day I receive the gift of knowing that I have helped many and seeing that I have inspired many more.

My life is rich. And it is time again to say "thank you!" Furthermore, I want to take this time to encourage you to take an extra moment to give thanks for those things that enrich your life. So please, tell me what you are thankful for.

art by Pixelkitties

Last year, I posted the following as an early Thanksgiving blog:

Thank you for enjoying my story and choosing to follow me. Thank you for all the wonderful comments and favorites. But more, thank you for being inspired and motivated, giving back to all of us with your talents and your time. Thank you for your videos and your animation projects; thank you for your art and music and stories and so much more. But most of all, thank you for your kindness, and your friendship to others. Thank you for being some of the very best people within the brony fandom. You elevate it.

I want to reiterate that. I want to take this time to say that again in order to remind myself just how much you have given me and how blessed that I am for all of you, and to remind you that I am thankful.

art by Flavinbagel

Next week: more "Origin Story".