A few years ago, we attended a Thanksgiving dinner and at
some point in the meal, the hostess announced that it was time to go around the
table and say something that you were thankful for over the past year. As she kicked it off with some beautiful
words that flowed freely from her mouth, I began to feel a little
uncomfortable. Speaking in front of
people has never been a problem for me, but having to come up with something of
great significance got me all nervous.
As we went around the table, I noticed that I was not alone. Not one person said anything deep and
meaningful, heartfelt or of great significance.
Wow, that was one anxiety filled exercise!
This year, I decided to be one step ahead of the game – I
would take time to prepare some thoughts.
After much thinking, I came up with a plan, as Thanksgiving unfolded, I
would jot down any thing that I was thankful for during the course of the day
and see how many things I could identify for that one day. Now this was not an easy task, because as the
day began, I realized that as the day got busy, I would have to remember some things
to write down when I had a chance.
During a normal day, we can think of a handful of things to be grateful
for, but in the course of a day, you stop and realize some of the smaller
things, such as a touch shared with your spouse; thankful for conveniences,
without which the effort would be enormous; people in our lives; the things we
read that inspire us.
That one Thanksgiving, the hostess’ heart was clearly in
the right place. We should always have
an attitude of gratitude and it should not be relegated to one or two days a
year. As my Thanksgiving Day ended, I
had collected a list of 20 things to be grateful. For the first time in many years, my entire
immediate family was able to be together – for this I am most grateful and for
that sake, this past Thanksgiving was an event to cherish for a long time.
What was memorable for you that you are thankful for?
Beautiful, Wayne. Too often we focus on the negative and take the things for which we are grateful for granted, push them to the back of our minds and don't remember them. From the basics such as good health, safe environments, plentiful food and warm, comfortable homes to our families, friends and communities to the small things such as a book, a painting, a piece of music that changes our outlook, we have so much to be thankful for.
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