Gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving sometimes gets a bad rap--it doesn't have the magic and of course presents of Christmas, nor the warmth and fireworks of Fourth of July. Basically it is seen as a holiday where you eat and drink a lot and try to tolerate your family.

As I have gotten older I have gained more respect for this holiday. One of the key principals to living intentionally is gratitude. Gratitude immediately forces us to be in the moment, to be aware of what is happening in our lives. Gratitude allows us to see the small little blessings that happen every day. It is a Catch-22 one of the key practices to intentionally living is gratitude and when we are living intentionally gratitude naturally happens. So for today on this day of Thanks I challenge you to be grateful not just for the standard things like your home, your family, your friends, your health. Dig a little deeper--look for the items, events, people that are unique to you. Why are you grateful for your house? What about your partner makes you grin? What is it in your best friend that you love so much? What is it about your favorite food that makes you happy? What makes you joyful on a daily basis?

This morning as I type I am grateful for my warm sweater and the furnace removing the morning chill. My coffee is brewing and I can smell the wonderful fragrance that makes me happy!! I am grateful for my comfy couch, my cat sleeping on my lap (to keep warm) the warm shower I just took and the fact that I am going to drive to my family's house where I am able to help my mom cook Thanksgiving dinner and watch the Macy's parade. I am grateful the day will be filled with laughter and joy that we have yet another Thanksgiving dinner to spend together as a family.

So for today practice your gratitude and then tomorrow keep practicing. I try to end each day with 5 things I am grateful for--get creative--and see all the wonderful little blessings that make up our world.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!