Thank you so very much for sharing this with us.  It is beautiful and thought provoking. You are so very centered. I know this did not happen for you overnight.  I know that you have worked so hard for so long to be where you are. 

A friend once told me that giving to others was the best way to feel good about herself and her life. I know that to be true for me as well. 

Things I am specifically thankful for are the following:

The compassion I feel for others who are hurting.  My mom wrote a note about me in my baby book when I was about 5. She wrote "you are kind and sensitive to the pain of others". There are times that I have despised this aspect of myself, feeling that I have been used or played.  But I have come to learn that feeling compassion is never a wasted thing.

Secondly I am thankful for my growing ability to say "no" when it's in my best interest.  I'm still working on the "not feeling bad" part of this decision, however. 

Third, I am thankful for my common sense and ability to think quick on my feet.  This comes in handy working in a busy hospital. 

I am thankful for my persistence in therapy- and on that note I am thankful for my doctor and for this web page that offers support to me. It has been a very hard year of therapy for me, but I'm working so hard!

I am thankful for some healing in my eating disorder.  I have come so far in the past 18 months.  I have come from a place of starvation to a place of nourishment and better acceptance of my body.  I give a lot of credit to this website and the support it offers to so many.

I am thankful for my kids. They help me realize how sweet life can be and how to keep it simple - it shouldn't be so hard to get up every morning. 

I am thankful for things that are obvious- my parents are still living, I have amazing friends, a job I finally love, a place to live, and food to eat. There is so much more, but I will stop with these. 

:)

TE