What are you thankful for today?

I hope you know how lucky you are to be where you’re at today.

To have a job, your health, a roof, a peaceful loving relationship, clothes, dinner on the table, two arms to hug your loved ones, all your teeth to chew and legs to take you where you need to go.

My point is count those small blessings, the ones that seem the smallest are often found later in life to be the most important. Some of the things we should be thankful for seem so trivial we often take them for granted.

We tend to overlook our blessings, focusing on the struggles and negatives in our daily lives and the world around us.

As I have gained (some) wisdom in my life, I’ve learned how I look is far less important than how I feel. Respect is earned. Hard work and determination will drive you a lot farther than a pretty smile and having a kind heart, while it may leave you vulnerable, will give you opportunities that others will never see.

Happiness does not come from acquiring all of the finest things, it comes from taking joy in the little things, surrounding yourself with people you love and doing the things that feed your soul instead of your bank account.

Some of the happiest times in my life were also some of the poorest times in my life. I am thankful for those times because they taught me what was truly important.

I am thankful for all the blessing I have, big or small.

I am thankful for the breath that fills my lungs, the laughter that fills my home, the job that provides me a platform to support the community, as well as feed my family, the able body that allows me press on and the readers who support us and keep the paper going strong. What are you thankful for today?

Misty DeJournett is a staff writer at the Daily American Republic.