I am most grateful for my wonderful network of friends, family members, and professionals that surround me every day. They may not be in the same state or even on the same continent, but they are the most supportive group of people I have ever encountered. For that, I am grateful.
My family has always been there for me since the day I was born. I was a loved kid, and as I grew up the love kept pouring in.
The first time I saw Beauty and the Beast in the theaters I was accompanied by an eight-adult entourage. When I was twelve I went to visit my cousins in France, who I had never met, and they welcomed me with open arms. I felt as though I had known them my whole life. When I was in college, my family sent me care packages and slipped money in my purse when I wasn’t looking. And when I graduated from college, my aunts came to Texas from Chicago to watch me walk across the stage.
My family has always been there to support everything I do. They have accepted me for who I am and they love me unconditionally. I am so grateful to have them in my life, because I know that no matter what I can count on them to be there.
The second section of my network, my friends, are also people I can count on for support and encouragement every day. I have known some of them since eighth grade and others for only a year, but they know me better than anyone else. Although I don’t see them every day, or every year for that matter, whenever we talk or get together it’s like nothing has changed.
My friends are the kind of people who surprise you on your birthday with a huge cookie cake. They’re the kind of people who fly thousands of miles just to spend a few days with you. They’re the kind of people that you can call whenever you’re having a bad day because you know they will make you laugh. But, most importantly, they are the kind of people you can count on. They are my second family and they know me inside and out.
My network would not be complete without mentioning the professionals who have helped shape my adult life. These are people I have interned for and professors who guided me through school. They have made a huge impact on my life and have helped me get jobs and become the professional I am today. Without their help and guidance, I wouldn’t be so passionate about my career, and I wouldn’t be happy going to work every day.
These people are my network, and near or far, they are always here for me. They are my biggest cheerleaders when I succeed and my crutches when I stumble. I am more than grateful for their support because without them I wouldn’t have the confidence to fulfill my dreams. I am lucky to have them all.
Photo uploaded to Flickr Creative Commons
