Today is the day that we give something or other. I think I’m supposed to say something clever about it. I’m pretty sure that’s the way it’s supposed to go. It might not go that way.
We Should Be Thankful
Today is Thanksgiving. It’s a day to be thankful. A day to be grateful. Cool.
It’s a day we spend making sure that we acknowledge all the things we have to be thankful for. Awesome.
It the time of year we take stock in the blessings we’ve been granted and we highlight how much those things have improved our happiness and quality of life. I’m totally onboard.
And I think this is the part where I even highlight that we should do this every day. We should. It’s easy. Put a note on your bathroom mirror and name five things you are thankful for when you get up and before you go to bed. Done!
Most of us have so many things we take for granted: clean drinking water, sanitation, a wide variety of food choices, communities, support, strong income, and more. We definitely should be thankful.
We Should Be More Than Thankful
But before we stop there and think all we need to do is be thankful, let me point you in the direction of one other thought: for everything you have to be thankful for, there is someone without. I won’t delve into the obvious to make a point – it’s Thanksgiving – but you do know what I mean.
For this reason, take the day to really appreciate the things you have, the relationships you cherish, and the experiences you’ve been blessed with. Enjoy the time with family and friends. Spend the day doing all the things that you should do and make the most of them.
And then, sometime this holiday season, if you haven’t already done so, make plans to make a change in someone else’s holiday. Donate – time and things. Talk to someone you might not normally talk to. Take a few seconds to listen to a story you were trying to avoid. Compliment someone. Learn about people that are less fortunate than you and find out how you might make an impact in their life.
Then next year, when you hit this day, and you realize what you have to be thankful for, you can be thankful that you gave someone else a reason to be thankful. And maybe, just maybe, that person will have the opportunity to do the same for someone else.
