Thankful - Whitney Hanarhan

Thankful is a word that in the past I would use very loosely. The first Thanksgiving after my husband Kevin stepped on an IED, I truly realized what an emotionally packed word “thankful” actually was. The true meaning of this word sunk in harder than it ever had before. Even though we were living at a hospital and my husband was severely injured, he was ALIVE! I had him home safely and he was in recovery. Our daughter was able to hug her dad and I couldn’t have been more thankful for that.

Now 5 years and another child later, I still couldn’t be more Thankful. Not only for my husband still being here with us, but for all of the amazing memories that we have been able to make since his injury. Also this year I am working in the Heroes Thanking Heroes program which allows me to support my family by working from home. Working from home allows me to still be a caregiver to my husband and to continue building incredible memories with my family. 

This Thanksgiving we were able to spend time at our family’s cabin. We were able to be outdoors which is where our family is the happiest. Watching my husband with our children is one of the greatest blessings, seeing how their eyes light up when playing with him is the best gift I could ever receive . After almost losing my husband I have learned to live my life as if everything is a miracle, and always being aware of how much I truly have. I am thankful for my new outlook on life and how happy my family is. 

I may not know with certainty what’s going to happen from year to year, month to month, or even minute to minute. However, one thing I do know for sure is that this moment is something you can’t get back. Listen closely to others, create new memories, cherish past memories, hug the people you love tight, and love unconditionally in the present because things can change in the blink of an eye.