When I first moved to Vermont for college, I used to have what I called “I live here moments.”

I remember walking across campus blanketed under a fresh coat of snow, looking up at the moonlit sky, and thinking, “I live here.”

Sitting in a shell on Lake Dunmore and watching the steam come off of the water on a crisp fall morning, was another “I live here” moment. They became frequent enough – which is what happens when you row at 5am – that we started to call them John Denver mornings.

And then there are times that I got out of the lake after a beautiful swim, and looked across at the Adirondacks and thought wow, “I live here.”

The “I live here moment” is a momentary pause. A recognition of thanks and appreciation for being in a special place or participating in an activity with family or friends that is especially meaningful.

At this time of year, people often stop to reflect and give thanks. It’s so important to do so. When you look across the world and you see some of the challenges we collectively face, you realize how much there is for us to be thankful for.

Thinking back on this year, I am thankful for the micro-moments. The client who gave us the opportunity to grow their business in a very challenging market. The teammate that went above and beyond to help a colleague. The recognition we have received from our work, whether it was a thank you phone call that only one of us heard or industry-wide recognition that was celebrated broadly. As Union Street Media approaches our 25th year there are more “I (work) here” moments than one can count.

While we are always thankful for the big things that are often cited, this year I am grateful for the small ones as well. Collectively they are wonderful too.

Happy Thanksgiving to you!