Here we are again at the most thankful time of the year! As I think about another holiday season coming up and consider changes in life, shake ups in the real estate market, and the general ups and downs of the day-to-day… I recall the 1989 film, Parenthood, with Steve Martin and a host of many of our ‘80’s favorites. If you haven’t seen it, you should. There is a scene where Martin’s character is feeling completely overwhelmed with the tumult of life with kids, wife, extended family; and "grandma" tells a story that is intended to help. She uses a metaphor that at first, appears to fly right over Martin’s head; describing the thrill of the "roller coaster" and how it is scary yet exhilarating at the same time; and yet, some prefer the "merry-go-round," which only goes around… As you look at life, which do you prefer?

Most of us, admittedly, enjoy the status quo. We prefer for things to go the way we want and/or expect. And yet, the reality is that we don’t always get to choose our "roller coaster" moments, and they often seem to just pop up on us at the most inconvenient times. But what if we had no ups and downs? How would we appreciate the "merry-go-round" seasons if we had no hills and valleys? How would we experience the victory of arriving on the other side of a challenge if our path was always level?

​This year, I am thankful for the roller coaster. For all of the trials and triumphs we experience as we look to live out this short time on earth in a meaningful way. At the end of grandma’s story, Martin marvels at the supposed "wisdom" of grandma, as she is sitting in the neighbors’ car (ha!); to which his "unplanned pregnant" wife responds, "I happen to like the roller coaster." May we endeavor to embrace, and even find gratitude in, the roller coaster of life as we find resilience and a certain amount of exhilaration when we do. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and we will see you soon!

Well, we are almost to the end of a year none of us will forget! As we consider how 2020 will look in the rearview, I am sure we all have various emotions, memories, “things we’d like to forget,” and “did that really happen?” moments we will pull from in the future. Many of us will remember 2020 as a rollercoaster ride that seemed it would never end and we pray that 2021 is a calmer year. And, many of us will also remember how this year taught us to be grateful for the ups and downs we encounter in this life.

So… What are you grateful for right now? As we approach the Thanksgiving Season, it is always a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the year, and consider: how we have grown, what we have learned, how we have been challenged, ways we have overcome adversity, and how a year like 2020 can serve to strengthen us rather than squash us. What are you grateful for, as we wrap up the year 2020?

We at the Angela Sadat Group are grateful for YOU. I am grateful for each one of you. So many of you have supported us and cheered us on this year. So many of you have sent your friends and family to us so that we could help them to achieve their goals of making a successful move. So many of you have reached out with questions as well as encouragement during a tumultuous time. And we are so grateful for YOU.
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As we look forward to this season of gratitude, may we come together, in whatever ways we can, to serve one another, encourage one another, and to be grateful for the abundant blessings we find in living through the ups and the downs of life. Many blessings to you and yours this Thanksgiving!