Here in the UK we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving like they do in the USA, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t say thank you for what we have. There are so many people now who have nothing. They are living on or below the poverty line, or worse – they are living on the streets. Every town, city or village you go to, there will always be at least one homeless person there. You may not see them, but they are there. You may not hear them, but rest assured, they are there. Some too proud to ask for help even though there they have nothing.

In the town that I live, there is a guy who sells the Big Issue which is a weekly paper aimed at helping the homeless or those who have recently started to get back on their feet. I make a point of buying the Big Issue every week. Today, as it is cold, I also brought him a cup of tea. He sits for hours selling this paper – which he has to pay for – and people just walk past him as if he doesn’t exist. Others will come up and talk to him, ask him to look after their dogs when they go into the shop. He does so happily. As people go by, he will call “Big Issue?” and even if they ignore him, he will say “Okay, have a nice day then”. I may not always read it, but I will always buy it.

I am thankful for what I have. I have the best kids in the world – I don’t care what you say, mine are the the best 😉 They are polite, well mannered and rarely kick off. They accept that they can’t always have what they want, but are happy with what they are given. I am thankful that I have a home. I am thankful of the fact that I can afford to buy food every week and I don’t have to sacrifice one thing for another. I am thankful that I have my sight, I have my hearing, I have my limbs. I can talk. I have friends. I have made made some very good friends on here since Being Julz started following me on 1^st April this year and opened the flood gates and changed my blog from 3 followers to now over 333.

I am thankful that I have my parents, and I have my sister, and I have my nephews. I am thankful that I am able to take photographs. I am thankful I can make people smile even if my jokes are lame and people take the p!£& out of me for it.. Most of all, I am thankful that I am alive, and not just existing.

To you all – whether you celebrate it or not:

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Happy Thanksgiving (kevinpbarker.wordpress.com)
From ALL: Happy Thanksgiving (deaconjohnspace.wordpress.com)
Contributing to the Word on the Street (wannadonashville.wordpress.com)
What We Are Thankful For… (ylstylebar.wordpress.com)
Thanksgiving 2012 (artsyprincess.wordpress.com)
Thankful in All Things (plusrelocation.typepad.com)
What goes through your mind when you hear the word ‘homeless’? (eslschoolforenglish.wordpress.com)
Happy Thanksgiving 2012 (englishinguiaintermedio.wordpress.com)
Q/. What causes Poverty? (ffeirio.wordpress.com)
The Challenge of Thanksgiving in Brussels (jessinbelgium.wordpress.com)

Cee’s challenge this week is Something New, referring to photos that have been taken within the last week and close to home. So I decided to take some photos of a couple of ornaments and my son’s Halo figures as well as a Lego car that he built about eight years ago.