17 years ago I was 17 years old, and writing about a personal experience that had transformed me.  I was going to use this writing for my university essay.  I was writing about being thankful to still be here, that is, in existence, with the living, after the events of that holiday.  The first night I'd put my heart on the line for the first time, and although we'd been flirting for a month, I was disappointed.  The next night I watched tough guy westerns with my friend to feel better, drove him home and avoided a deer on the way, dropped him off, drove toward home and avoided two deer on the way but this time hit a telephone pole, which caused my air bag to deploy, the car to fill with dust, Led Zeppelin music to warp, and the telephone pole to break and fall, thankfully, to the right of the car and not through the windshield.  So I am always very thankful on this day, above all, that I am still here and getting to do all the amazing things I do, while always reminded that others who have done much for the world aren't here anymore, so I have to share something every day in a way that improves how we play