I love Thanksgiving because it's a holiday that surprises me. I love Thanksgiving because it's a day that encourages people to be selfless.

I love Thanksgiving this year because I woke up feeling bitter. Bitter for many reasons, including not being able to go home and having to walk a mile down 1st St. in the rain with a huge bowl of stuffing.

I realize that according to the calendar today is not Thanksgiving. At Isaiah House today was Thanksgiving. Today was the day that the Isaiah House staff prepared a holiday meal for the clients.

So again, all morning I was feeling bitter. Not only did I have to walk a mile in the rain with a huge bowl of stuffing. But then when I get to work, I'm soaked and my office is freezing cold.

At 11 o'clock, my bitterness increases when the staff starts reheating all of the food for lunch in an hour.

Why isn't this oven three times bigger?

Why are only two of the burners accessible?

Why has the mac n'cheese been in the oven for 30 minutes and it's still cold?

At 12:05, I go out into the dining area, still feeling bitter, and tell everyone to say some things that they are thankful for. One woman says her freedom. One man says his sobriety. Another man says the Isaiah House staff. And then silence.

Surely more than three of the 40 people in Isaiah House can think of something they are thankful for.

Crickets chirp.

I'm starting to feel increasingly bitter.

Finally, the program director of the addictions program stands up and says he is thankful to be alive.

Other people start listing off praises.

Then Edward stands.

Edward stands and says he wants to sing a gospel song.

Edward has been wearing the same blue sweatpants, orange button-up shirt, and adidas tennis shoes since I did his intake last week.

And Edward has the most beautiful voice.

Edward sings about tomorrow being a better day.

I feel myself start to cry.

I'm crying because all day I was bitter about silly things.

I'm crying because Edward can stand up and sing about tomorrow being a better day, when he is homeless, and only has one outfit.

When Edward is finished singing, everyone stands and claps and cheers.

With thankfulness in my soul, I help serve lunch, and cut pie, and call for seconds.

I'm not bitter anymore because I don't have anything worth being bitter about.