Thursday, November 27, 2008

hk is thankful

I am. Even though I'm in a whiny, downer mood tonight, not helped by the beers with dinner, I'm still thankful.

I'm thankful for the little things. The azure blue of the water in Sai Wan on Sunday. The little moment of silence after the chef of the Szechuan restaurant I went to tonight sang the final note of the mournful folk song in operatic style. The way my officemate and I try to best each other in the Scrabble-like game on our Blackberries.

I'm thankful for the big things. I am sound of body, and mostly of mind. I still have a ludicrously lucrative job. I have enough money to be more than comfortable.

I'm thankful for the people in my life. My family, the members of which are sound of mind and body, except for one. My friends in the States. My new friends in Hong Kong. Those who have passed out of my life after gifting me with their humor and friendship, and those who
still want to know what I'm doing after all these years, and still care.

I'm thankful for the absence of tragedy in my life -- and the experience of seeing that even sad events can be borne with great dignity and good humor.

I wish to be happy, and I am thankful that every day, I have the means, the health, and the freedom to pursue happiness.

I've spent Thanksgivings in many different places over the years. With bigbro in DC, sharing a pre-made dinner from the supermarket. Thawing out turkey wingpits with BC in New York. With Mormons and Destroyers in Cambridge. With missionaries in Seoul. With Double M and her family in DC. With Empress Ro snapping at waitresses "We're models, honey! We can't eat cheese!" in Soho. I think it might be my favorite holiday, because no one expects you to go home or bring presents. No one has any expectations at all.

Tonight I had Thanksgiving dinner with three people I didn't know a month ago, in a Szechuan place in the heart of Hong Kong. It wasn't the smoothest of dinners or the best of times, but it was companionship and good food, and I'm thankful.

And now I'm going to go out and buy a pack of cigarettes, and be thankful for that too.