What I'm Thankful For...

Today is Thanksgiving. We consider it as a day to gorge on food, spend time with friends and family, and watch some football. But we often forget its true purpose - to reflect and acknowledge the bounties in life, however difficult it may seem.

I'm thankful that I'm able to go home to Buffalo for the 7th time this year, to share this time with my family. I'm thankful for my two wonderful parents who have sacrificed so much so that we kids could have a brighter future. I'm thankful for my brothers Adnaan and Nabeel, with whom every moment is enjoyable, no matter how annoying they can sometimes be. I'm thankful that Buffalo/Amherst is a place that I can call "home", no matter what outsiders may think of it. It truly is a city of Good Neighbors.

I'm thankful for my family, amazing friends, encouraging advisor and dissertation committee members, cool colleagues, and sympathetic strangers without whose love and support I would have never been able to get through and complete my Ph.D. I'm thankful that I have housemates and a landlady and landlord who respect my privacy and contributions, even though I wish we interacted more. Even though Long Island is a step up in madness from Buffalo, I'm thankful that it has provided a comfortable abode all these years and has considerate, if sometimes aloof and hurried, inhabitants.

This year's job search had been a frustrating one. However, I'm thankful for all the notices of rejection I received because they humbled me and told me that I'm not the most qualified candidate - there's always room for improvement. Because of my advisor's efforts, my near future is clearer.

When I'm running a particularly difficult race, when my focus and motivation to continue starts to waver, I'm thankful that I have two working legs that can carry me to the finish line.

While this year has been full of little and big joys, it will not leave without its shares of sorrows. My grand-uncle Nisar, affectionately referred to as Uncle or Bapa Joji, departed this world on February 9, followed by our dear Maa, my Nana, on September 6, just two days before my Ph.D. defense. I'm thankful that I had the opportunity to meet them both shortly before their passing. I will carry and cherish many wonderful moments I spent with them as long as my faculties don't fail me.

I'm thankful I'm me. I'm thankful to God for making this all possible.

Bust most of all, I'm thankful to you, dear reader, for making it this far.

Happy Thanksgiving!