What are you thankful for?

Pretty deep question, right? It comes off as a shallow question this time of year.

While sitting at the dinner table, a family -arch of some kind will inevitably ask, “what do we have to be thankful for this year?”

Uncle Bo-Bo will mumble something about his wife and everyone will know he doesn’t mean it. Aunt Jean will slur some statement about how she’s soo thankful for her family. You’ll laugh, choke on your green bean casserole, and gulp down the remaining wine left in your Thanksgiving sized (aka huge-fucking-ass) glass of wine.

So, I ask again — really, what are you thankful for? Here’s my depressing and somewhat stereotypical list:

– My parents. My mom takes care of the family. All the time. She cares for her parents by: doing their laundry, buying them groceries, and taking them out. My dad muddles through my grandparents’ finances, counts my grandfather’s pills, and supports my mom. All this while having a crazy daughter (that’s me, by the way) who still needs a hand up every so often. We come from different eras, and they don’t always understand what I do or why I do it, but they support me nonetheless.

– Beagle and Basset Rescue of the Heartland. This organization provided me with the best damn Beagle money could offer. Sure, Daphne (my very sophisticated beagle) is a real bitch (literal and, well, you know). She wants a soft pillow below her and a warm blanket above her at all times. But she’s a cuddle bug. And hell. She’s always happy to see me, like, all the time even though I’m a bitch, too. This year I found out she had puppy lupus (this is not a technical term.) She’s on a boatload of pills and let me say — these pills ain’t cheap. But heck. She’s worth it.

– Planned Parenthood. This organization has had a hell of a year. While some assholes try to take away funding, I (I’m an asshole, too, really) keep on giving. Planned Parenthood was there for me when I needed help. The nurses were kind and compassionate, and I never felt judged. I would go back if I needed to and, will continue to advocate for the org. forever and ever.