This goes out to the ones that have never given up on me, never walked out on me, never stopped talking to me, never stopped being my friend, never stopped standing by me even on my worst days, never stopped answering the phone when I called, never stopped responding to my text messages, and never stopped being a part of my family.

Now that list is quite inclusive, and it involves a lot of different people.

It especially involves my friends, some family members who still acknowledge me, and it involves people that have continued to stand by me through the good, bad, ugly, thick, and thin, and even the worst of times when I don't personally like looking at myself in the mirror or answering to myself.

Yet the people I've mentioned above have continued to do that; they have continued to stand by me and be there for me. The best part about it is the fact that they share their lives with me, they let me share my life with them, and we even on occasion sit down and have Taco Bell for dinner and talk about the crazy neighbors down the street.

This is a shout out to the good people I have met throughout my life who are still in my life today. This involves some friends I made as a substitute teacher, one of them being one of my best friends in the world. This includes a friend I've known for more than 25 years, that I met on a random occasion at a temporary job I was working in a place I soon forgot, on a street I can't remember, and with other people I probably didn't even like.

Most importantly, we've stayed friends. She has stood by my side through it all. I've been there through the death of her dad, someone I considered a better father to me than my own dad, and I've been there to weather the storm while she's lived without a dad who's been her best friend, and a mom who's never known how to face another day alone.

This is a shout out to my other friends just like her- the guys I've been friends with throughout the years, the people I've played hockey with throughout the years, my old coworkers who I still keep in touch with, neighbors I knew once upon a time, classmates in school that I've rekindled friendships with thanks to social media, and most importantly, the few family members that still acknowledge that I am alive, have a heartbeat, and are still friendly to me.

In this moment of time, this goes out to you. All of you. Each and every one of you wonderful people. In today's society, you just don't know who to trust, who to talk to, and who to consider a true friend or family member.

Former basketball referee partners I no longer talk to are not included in this note of thanks, nor are former soccer officials, umpires on the softball and baseball field, or anyone else who hasn't bothered to take the time to return my calls, text me when I've had the same number for years, or stop by my house to say "Hello" when I've had the same address for almost 15 years.

This isn't for them. This is for the ones who still talk to me, and don't stop responding when I just want to call and say "Hello."

I won't acknowledge my sister who I haven't spoken to in nearly seven years. A sister who is a train wreck, has kids of her own that hate her, is angry at the world, and is jealous and pissed off at anyone that has accomplished more than she has.

A sister that has lied about things that nobody should lie about, including things supposedly done to her as a child, without truth or facts to back her up. A sister that could have easily destroyed family members' lives with her lies.

That person doesn't deserve a word of thanks. Another person you won't see on this list is a brother who is afraid of the bully father that raised us and brought us into this world. He is scared to stand on his own, doesn't want to be condemned like his brother has, and therefore, pretends that his brother doesn't exist.

And last but certainly not least, you won't see a verbally abusive bully on this list that was once my father.

A person that belittles those around him, thinks he's better than everyone, and that nobody can compare to his knowledge of the world, intelligence, and his attitude. A father who, as my grandmother said dozens of times, wanted to be the "big man," buy the expensive toys, have the fancy, big house, live fat and expensive, and who has turned out to be an angry pissed off old man that hasn't spoken to his son in nine years. Those people are individuals you won't see receiving a word of thanks on here.

In this moment of time, this is dedicated to the friends that know I deal with anxiety, stress, and depression regularly.

This goes out to the ones that hug me on a bad day, call me on a horrible day, spend time with me to share a good day, and tell me how much I mean to them.

This goes out to a half dozen friends who are there for me, haven't left me, and haven't given up on me.

This goes out to people who didn't stop calling me years ago after we'd been friends for 30 years.

This goes out to the friends that I've had who have known my kids and my family for years that still talk to me, still keep in touch with me, and still share their lives with me.

In this moment of time, I'd like to say thank you most importantly to God, because without Him, nothing is possible, and with Him, all things are possible. Without God, I would not be here today. This thanks to Him is for the fact that He keeps me alive, helps me wake up in the morning, gets me through health problems day after day, and continues to watch over me when others before me have abandoned me, including the ones I've loved that I've lost. Without thanking God, I'd be ignoring the biggest influence in my life, the one I continue to have faith in, say prayers to, and simply ask to show love and protection and guidance for my friends and loved ones.

This goes out to everyone that has been previously mentioned in this article, and also goes out to anyone that (my apologies here) I've forgotten to mention. In the end of this, which is happening now, a huge thanks goes out to my mom, who brought me into this world, continues to acknowledge that I'm alive, continues to be respectful, courteous, and considerate to me, and most importantly, continues to be a presence in the lives of my children and my family, whereas their grandfather is nowhere to be found.

I can't thank someone who deserves no thanks, but I can thank her. Without a mom, there wouldn't be a son. And without the son? There wouldn't be me. And without me, there wouldn't be this article that you are reading.

So for those of you who have read this far, a huge thanks goes out to you. You could be watching a movie, eating junk food, sleeping, pooping, or doing something else constructive, but you aren't. So thanks. To you. And to everyone that you'd kindly like to share this with, and let them know that everyone deserves a word of thanks every now and then.

In this moment of time, one last word I'd like to say to everyone that deserves it:

Thanks.