The People We Forget To Thank | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

The People We Forget To Thank

The three people I’ve encountered in my life who I forgot to thank.

7
The People We Forget To Thank
Good Free Photos

I’m sure both you and I have countlessly heard “be thankful” repeated in our ears and heads in many ways. After a while, these words become a trite phrase that’s deemed as “cheesy” or ridiculous.

Up until about a year ago, these two words meant absolutely nothing to me. So I'll take you a year back and explain how these words have become something I force myself to remember on a daily basis.

Before a year ago, there was plenty that happened in my life that I was resentful about. Even now, looking back I don’t have many pleasant memories. It’s like a dark cloud hanging over a time in my life that almost everyone I was surrounded by reflected on in a positive light. Everyone except me. The dark cloud not only loomed in the past, it seemed to follow me into the present as I was more disconnected from everyone my age because I had practically no similar experiences. Anything significant I had to share was just not meant to be shared or would only cause a pity party that I did not want to be a part of. Because I was ashamed.

Ashamed that this was my life. Ashamed that I couldn’t connect with people my age. Ashamed of being the “ugly duckling.” I was ashamed to be myself.

At that point a year ago, it became exhaustive to be so ashamed of myself. Being ashamed only made life in the present worse, and I realized that the dark cloud that followed me was fed more gray color by my own thoughts. The only way I could let it change color was from the way I framed the problems in my life. So I learned to be thankful for all the bad things and started thanking people I had unknowingly taught myself to hate.

Here are the three, general types of people in my life that I’ve reminded myself to thank as often as possible.

First of all, I thank all the people who tried to disassociate themselves from me without getting to know me. At the time, I felt helpless and alone in a world filled with over 7 billion people. Thank you for that because you taught me to be okay with being alone. You taught me that people will not always understand me but that I was bound to find a small handful who would care enough to. And I did.


I thank all the strangers who have let out their anger or frustration on me when I was in a bad mood, worsening my mood at the time. I have considered you rude and unbearable at the time, but I appreciate you now because you have taught me that everyone can have a bad day and that retaliating does not make me better off.


Lastly, but most importantly, thank you to every loved one in my life that has turned their back on me when I needed them the most. It was probably the most painful period in my life because I had hit rock bottom at the time and I had thought I could find the support to climb back up. Today I thank you because you taught me not to have expectations of others, whoever they may be. Above all, I thank you because you taught me that I could fight my battles by myself and pull myself up.


I’m not perfect, so there are times when it all comes back to me, and the pain hits hard. Today is one of those days, but I hope this article serves as a reminder to both myself and you that, at some point, being angry does nothing to the other person and hurts us, but being thankful helps us to be better.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

1424
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

863
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

200039
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20772
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments