This has been an extremely stressful year for me and I must say 2011 can't get here soon enough. With the loss of my mother-in-law to liver cancer in February to other family issues, if it weren't for my husband, dear friends, understanding co-workers and my running, I am not too sure where I would be today. The next few weeks are going to be a big challenge for me and my husband, but having the love and support from our friends will get us through.

What I discovered by sharing my life with others is that I am never alone in my despair. Surprisingly, I have learned that more times than not, my troubles are not too far from what others have experienced. Through their wisdom and love, I am slowly learning to accept their hand in walking through life's storms. Life is truly so much easier having others to love and support you every step of the way, especially when you feel so overwhelmed with the emotions that come at this time of year.

In a few short days those of us in the States will be celebrating one of my favorite holidays--Thanksgiving. This will be a very different one from those I have celebrated in the past. As a dear friend once told me, while I cannot turn back time, take this opportunity to make my 'new normal'. This is not the way I would have chosen to celebrate the holidays, but when the choices are few, acceptance is part of the process. My husband and I will still participate in our annual Thanksgiving Day morning Turkey Trot we once did as a family. But instead of feeling sorry for our situation we will still give thanks for the blessings that have been bestowed upon us this year--having the love of friends both far and near is our blessing.

This past weekend I had the honor to run the San Antonio Rock N Roll Half-Marathon with three of my best friends. We all attended high school together and reconnected after many years. Earlier this summer they committed themselves to training for their first Half-Marathon. They put the hours and effort into their training and let me tell you it was a blessing to share this event with them. We are truly part of the 'Sole Sisterhood' as our shirts proudly proclaimed. We will be 'Friends to the Finish.'

I must confess, however, that this was a very tough race for me. This was my third half-marathon in five weeks and my old body was finally feeling the strain of doing so many endurance runs so close together. For some reason I was really hoping to PR this race. I just felt I was going to do much better than I did and when that didn't happen, it made me question my ability. But that all changed when I saw my girlfriends tear up with joy when they were awarded their medals. The smiles on their faces and the pride they felt forced me to re-think why a finish time meant so much more than running with my friends who have been with me through thick and thin.

On Tuesday during my recovery run I used the time to really put into perspective the true meaning of the season. And what I discovered is this journey isn't about being perfect. It isn't about being a perfect weight. It isn't about being a perfect size. It isn't about eating a perfect diet day in and day out. It isn't about what I own or how much I earn. This journey isn't about finishing a race in a certain time. It isn't even about outdoing ourselves.

But what this journey IS about is celebrating life with others. This year I have had the honor to meet SparkPeople members from all over the country, from New Orleans to Seattle to Chicago to Portland to Victoria to Los Angeles and most recently San Antonio. I even had the opportunity to connect with my local Dallas SparkPeople team. What a true blessing this year has been, even through the sad and difficult times. Friends are what will get us through the storms in life. And while I look forward to my final race of the year in Las Vegas in a few weeks, from this point forward, no matter what my time, every finish will be celebrated.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Have you lost a loved one or had family issues that caused you to lean on your friends? How are you coping with the holidays? Do you count your blessings even though times are tough?