By LaKeshia N. Myers
Everyday is a day of thanksgiving God’s been so good to me Everyday He’s blessing me
Everyday is a day of thanksgiving Take the time to glorify the Lord today
~Dr. Charles G. Hayes, Cosmopolitan Church of Prayer
Representative LaKeshia Myers
The holiday season is upon us. Next week millions of Americans will cook scrumptious meals and break bread together, observing the people, places, and things they are thankful for. Like the rest of the country, I, too, am preparing for Thanksgiving—but I must admit every day is most definitely a day to be thankful. Here are a few things I am thankful for:
1. Good Health—Aside from complications at birth, I did not experience any serious illness during my childhood or young adult years. This abruptly changed at age thirty, when I was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Overnight, my life was turned upside down with hospital stays, surgeries, dietary adjustments, and daily dialysis treatments. I received a second chance at life in 2019, when I received a kidney transplant. Unfortunately the transplanted kidney failed in January 2022 and I have resumed dialysis, but I’m thankful it is available to help keep me alive.
2. Great Parents—Children don’t come with instructions; and as I grow older (and wiser) I realize that all parents are not created equal. I must admit, I am blessed with two of the best parents. They are two people who genuinely love my sister and I and want the best for us. It has been evident in their preparation for us, their patience with us, and the provisions they made for us. Each stage was carefully thought about and experiences cultivated to make us well rounded people who are empathetic towards others and just “good humans” in general. As I navigate the ever changing roles and responsibilities of relationship with my parents, I sometimes joke that I, “have two seventy-two year old teenagers for sale”—but the truth is, they belong to me and I wouldn’t give them up for the world.
3. Good Friends—Clarence Avant once said, “I don’t have problems, I have friends”. I believe this wholeheartedly. My closest friends have a plethora of skills and they are always willing to propel me forward through prayers and deeds. We have laughed, cried, loved, and lived, together. The memories we’ve created with each other shall last us until we’re old and gray.
This Thanksgiving holiday, I am asking everyone to truly take stock of their blessings. We can get bogged down with the hustle and grind of daily life, but sometimes it’s good to just pause, reflect, and say, “thank you”—because every day is a day of thanksgiving.