Giving Thanks...

Today, was my third year celebrating Thanksgiving in East Lansing, Michigan. Thinking about how much I have accomplished and where my life has taken me even in these last 3 years gives me so much to be thankful for. So here are my top 10 things I am thankful for this year:

1) Family: Even though I don't get to see my parents as much as I would like to, I am so lucky and thankful for a mother that I can call at any moment, that I know would be willing to talk me through a problem, calm me down from school meltdowns, or simply talk to about the weather. I got so lucky to have the parents that I do and (although I don't always express it) am thankful for them everyday.

2) Sarath: This January, we will be celebrating our 5 year anniversary. Over these last 5 years, we have survived and grown together through many challenges that other couples never will have to face. From me leaving to study abroad across the world in Europe for 6 months, from S moving away across the country to Michigan for 2 years, and from simply having a relationship built of 2 medical students that have 0 free time, I am especially thankful that we have used all of these challenges to grow together and develop a relationship that is full of love. He encourages me everyday, he puts up with my med school meltdowns, he makes me laugh, and he makes me feel like I can accomplish anything I could ever set my mind to. So, today, and everyday, I am thankful for my wonderfully amazing boyfriend.

3) Friends: This is a huge category, because I have been so lucky in my life to be surrounded by such amazing people. Today, I am especially thankful for the friends I have had since high school, for the friends I made at UCLA, to the friends I have made studying abroad, and my medical school friends that have made Michigan feel like home. Even if I do not talk to you everyday or haven't talked to you in a year, I am thankful for the many wonderful people in my life that I consider to be my friend.

4) School: I am so thankful to have the privilege of having graduated from a great undergraduate university and for currently studying in medical school. I know there are many people in this world that have all of the capabilities of earning college and graduate degrees that never have the opportunity, I feel so fortunate that I have never had to worry about having access to education.

5) Home: I am thankful to have two homes: one in California where my parents live and one in Michigan that I have developed. I am thankful that I feel like Michigan is my second home after such a short period of time living here.

6) Travel: I have been so lucky with all of the places that I have fortunately had the opportunity to travel to. In the last 5 years, I have traveled all across the United States on a road trip with my parents and on a road trip down south with some med school friends and to Mexico a few times during college. I have traveled to Europe (Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Scotland, England, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic, and France). I have traveled to Central America twice (Honduras) and South America (Peru). I know that I have seen more of the world than most people and even though I have a lot more traveling to do in my life, I am so thankful for every opportunity I do get to go to a new place.

7) Food: I am thankful to be able to afford food everyday. I am also thankful that I have developed a liking of cooking and have the ability to make yummy Thanksgiving dinners for the last few years.

8) Warmth: This one might sound silly, but I love being warm. So, I am thankful to have an apartment that I can afford and warm blankets that I can curl up with on a warm night. Its easy to forget these simple conveniences, but there are many people in this world who do not have these luxuries.

9) Success: I am thankful that I am two years in to my medical education and I am almost at a point in my life where I will consider myself "successful." I know this word has many definitions, but for me, I am proud to say that I will be a doctor by age 26. :)

10) Blogging: I am thankful for my blogger friends that originally inspired me to start a blog. I think it will be a great gift to be able to look back on all of these posts after a few years and have all of my time of medical school journaled.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!