For USA readers, yesterday was Thanksgiving – I spent the day with family, being thankful for so much. For the international readers, I hope you joined in yesterday, or perhaps will join me in some thankfulness today.
Front and center on my list of things to be thankful for are: health, family, and community. Health makes the whole thing possible; family–immediate and extended–gives me the daily dose of what love really means, as well as the strength to live a full life; and community–my friends, my amazing staff, co-collaborators, and you–make it all so exciting, rich, and inspirational beyond my wildest dreams. All these things are wonderful and worthwhile things to celebrate.
Within the always-humbling, sometimes-overwhelming presence that this community has in my life, I draw an immeasurable amount of inspiration and motivation. It’s continually shocking for those times when I receive your thanks or kind words, because in my head, our roles are reversed – I feel like the one who clearly derives the most benefit from your participation in this constantly growing community. Words here cannot extend a big enough thanks to you.
Let me take a moment to thank a small handful of friends, collaborators, organizations that have for some reason or another recently made an (another?) impression on me. This is not an exhaustive list, but rather a short one that is present for me at the moment. They are all, in some unexpected ways, not to be missed:
NON PROFIT ORGS
4Culture.org
Blue Earth Alliance
Help-Portrait
MUSIC
Head Like A Kite
Victor Shade
Say Hi
Fences
Shabazz Palaces
GOOD PEOPLE
The Superformula
Ace Hotel
Vince Klimek.
Matt’s In The Market.
Foodista
Small-Lot Wines
Mike Horn
Build LLC
Theo Chocolate
Lastly. If you feel inclined to, please share in the comments section below something you’re thankful for. Anything sincere–and this is not just for the USA folks. It might be a USA holiday, but gratitude is worldwide. I’ll select a handful of comments and send you a signed book or something else to show my thanks for your sharing.
Oh, and I always love this reminder: “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward Have a great weekend.
Very well put Chase… I agree with what you wrote… family, friends and health is at the top of my list as well. I’m an artist and an aspiring photographer. So, among many other things, I’m thankful for my d7000 and to you for introducing it to me! 🙂 Here are a couple of the first pix I have taken with it if you are interested in taking a peak. Cheers! : http://twitpic.com/3a7wf5 http://twitpic.com/39ags8
I’m thankful for so many things and at the top of the list are my family, friends and health. I have been blessed so much that I feel compelled to share my blessings. As my pastor frequently says, “To whom much is given, much is required.” World Vision, Habitat for Humanity and Heifer.org are three organizations that do so much to lift people up and help them stand on their own.
Chase, def thankful for the way you continue to put yourself out there and for the way you are helping tons of others to do so via various ventures such as creativeLIVE!! Incredible to see someone as professionally successful as you and some of the other quote unquote stars of industry share so freely!
Honestly I’m also thankful for social media/web in general. Being really new to Twitter ( only started using regularly after submitting a vid for the Tamara Lackey workshop a few weeks ago), it feels like a whole new world has been revealed to me which allows connectivity based on interests etc regardless if physical proximity. Love it!!
Jesseclements.com
Hi Chase,
Thanks for your wonderful post. It’s wonderful to be able to be thankful on one day each year but also to be thankful all the time for the things that have been given to us.
Me personally, I am thankful for the God-given talent that I have been given for photography and for the ability to share that with others. I am also thankful for my husband who has been so incredibly supportive of me and my business. He always pushes me and allows me to pursue my dreams.
I’m thankful for you guys being so giving and hosting me in Seattle, twice.