Since it was Thanksgiving last week, I decided to reflect on my own actions as well as the reactions of others. After reflecting over the past few weeks, I am so thankful for many things, but here are some of the most important ones:
My first thing that I'm thankful for is Lorelei(my sister). She can be very irritating, but I love her so much. Lorelei always seems know just how to get under my skin but I couldn't imagine a day without her being there. To try to wake me up when I'm trying to sleep in, continuing to talk to me even when I'm mad or upset, and I would miss gloating when she gets in trouble way too much. People jokingly ask if they could trade siblings, and sometimes Lorelei has me thinking about it 🤣, but I really couldn't think of anything I would take over Lorelei(with the exception of a chameleon) because she is amazing. She really does make life extremely interesting.
Another thing that I'm thankful for are my parents. Somehow, they put up with me. My mom and dad are amazing! My dad does Jiu Jitsu as well, he gives me pointers, he trains with me and he is always there for me(not just for Jiu Jitsu, obviously). If I'm being honest, my dad helps me come up with all these topics for my blog, and I couldn't be any more grateful. I think his best quality is the fact that he makes time for his family, no matter how busy he is. An example of this is that as I'm writing, this my dad is at the gym. I know that it isn't that crazy but he just left a half an hour and it's 11:30pm. He works out at night so that he doesn't miss out on any time with me or Lorelei. Now, on to my mom, she makes great food for my family and she is literally always there. I don't think I would ever get out of the house on time for school if she weren't here to drag me out by my ear. 😂 She has said that she doesn't want to do Jiu Jitsu herself, but I have a feeling that I can talk her into it. 😜 The gist is that nothing would ever happen around my house because, honestly, my dad is kind of irresponsible when it comes being on time and things like that, although he does manage. 🤣
My last thing that I'm thankful for is Coach Mat. There are way too many reasons to be thankful for him and I couldn't be more grateful for everything he has done for me and everyone else around him. He believes in me, enough to still support me through even the rough patches in my Jiu Jitsu lifestyle(if that is even the right word to use). Coach Mat has given me an opportunity to have a blog, to share what I love and what I want. He has taught me a game for Jiu Jitsu and helped me with my technique, as well as many others. He helped me realize just how much I love Jiu Jitsu and I can never repay him enough. Coach Mat is not only our coach, but he is family friend. Coach Mat is one in a million, I couldn't tell you another coach that is like him. What's really crazy about Coach Mat is that I know for a fact that he is genuinely proud....of me, of my sister, of all my other teammates. It's amazing and I could only wish that people even had a coach that was half as good as mine.
My dad has always told me to never leave the house or go to bed being mad at someone. I've done a lot of thinking about this, and it really does kill me that he is right, but you never know what could happen to you, or to them, and I'd rather not take the chance. If they were to pass away, which is just hypothetical, would you really want to know that your last memory of them was you yelling at them? So, from now on, I know that I will always make sure to show my gratitude towards the people I care for, to make sure that they know how grateful I really am for even the small things they do.
I think everyone is guilty of taking things for granted, and I don't think anyone realizes it until it is too late. I know I have! After reflecting on everything, it has shown me how the people who complain about everything and don't look at the bright side, must truly be unhappy. At the end of the day, I balance school, Jiu Jitsu, and family time and will do my best to not take any of this for granted. I would like to say thank you to everyone that impacts my life on a daily basis and if i ever forget to tell you, know that you are appreciated.
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars. We all have clouds above us but some see their silver linings. We all face difficulties but some of us are grateful that they aren't worse."-Oscar Wilde
I hope you enjoyed! 😜
-Raina 💗