#bibliogato

I dislike reinventing the wheel so if this is already flying all over the Tumblrsphere thanks you @YAHighway's epic Friday lists, then forgive me. I do want to address that which Sara Zarr so artfully put in the above linked blog post.

"It's ingratitude that destroys that romance."

Sara points out all the ways that we have a romance in our life and lose it through ingratitude and how she wants to make this part of her internal shift, to remind herself of all the things she is grateful for.

I want to point out to others like me (writers, unpublished, by choice or not; twentysomethings who are still figuring out this whole life business; queer young adults) that we have a lot to be grateful for, and a lot that we could be grateful for, and the space between those two things? It's always worth the struggle. It is always worth the struggle.

Never stop fighting to settle for, "Well, I have this, and I should be grateful for it." Gratitude does not negate your ability to strive for something more. This was once used against me, that I ought to be grateful enough for the things I had (a job, an apartment). And I was, and continue to be, grateful for these things. I am also fortunate enough to keep wanting and striving and reaching for things I don't yet have (a job I enjoy, contentment in my life, health, etc). Being grateful for some things does not mean you do not get to WANT and to WISH in life. 

Keep fighting for your rights, for others' rights, for what you want, even if it seems terribly selfish or terribly shallow. Wanting to be published, wanting recognition? We're taught by our culture not to want compliments and attention on us, that humility is the greatest trait, but it is also self protection. It takes courage to say, "I want to be recognized for the things I do well, and this [writing, reading, drawing, painting, dancing, singing, design, programming, managing] is what I do well."