The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is upon us, and I have so much to be thankful for as a freelancer. It has been another year of incredible creative projects, amazing opportunities to teach about gaming at Taylor, a wonderful Gen Con experience with my family, and growing game industry friendships. I have been blessed this year as a gamer and a freelancer.
But, this has been a challenging year for my wife, Angie, and I as well. We have experienced the joys of seeing our daughters graduate from high school and head off to college. We have managed a major role change for me at work with all the ups and downs of that transition. We have struggled through the sorrows of multiple health complications and a difficult change to a new medication for Multiple Sclerosis. Through it all we have loved each other and found our moments together to celebrate and to cry. My freelancing and our gaming hobby have had to be set aside often this year to focus on each other.
Sometimes it is too easy to reflect only on our good times at Thanksgiving. I could have posted, as in previous years, about all the happy moments of my freelancing year. Yet, we are who we are not from just our joys but from our challenges and our sorrows as well. I am thankful that I have family, friends, and a faith that can see me through.
Celebrate the joyous times. Reflect upon and grow from the challenging times. Be thankful always.