Thanksgiving gives us pause to contemplate the things we are thankful for. While it is certainly worthy of dedicating an annual holiday to focus our expression of thankfulness, there is something to be said for cultivating a sense of gratitude throughout the year. Nurturing the spirit of thankfulness allows us to focus our thoughts, attention, and appreciation upon what is good and right. It allows us to look on hardship with fresh eyes and perspective to see what the experience offers to teach us.
It has been said having an attitude of gratitude can help us live a longer, happier life. Thus far, I am unable to attest to the reality of it extending life. However, I can confirm to it providing a more peaceful and happier enjoyment of life. Some have suggested that it’s impossible, denying the reality of the bad, putting your head in the sand, or wearing rose-colored glasses. I adamantly disagree. It is not ignoring or pretending the bad does not exist. Rather, it is honestly being able to see the good in bad situations. It is converting the bad to promote good. It is reaping the harvest of life’s beauty even in devastation. It provides the perspective to see the opportunity for rebuilding.
Living with an attitude of gratitude allows us to acknowledge the good in our lives. We are able to connect with ourselves more deeply as we acknowledge the emotion of gratitude resides within ourselves. It allows us to acknowledge that the source of what we are grateful for generally originates from an external presence. Thus we are able to connect with something bigger than ourselves. “I” becomes “we” as we attach ourselves to a higher power, family, community, nature, or other source we are thankful for.
The beautiful emotion of gratitude is rooted in the most beautiful emotion of all, love. When we continue to nurture our attitude, it grows more encompassing. The thankful appreciation grows beyond ourselves. We begin to find joy and gratitude not only in those blessings or gifts that come directly to us but to those we love. Gratitude transcends limitations of the merely tangible. We find ourselves not being restricted to that which has form but able to feel and experience the intangible. Gratitude is an emotional quality not bound by harvesting it. Rather, harvesting and sharing the bounty with others serves to cultivate it further.
This year, as I stop to celebrate the holiday set aside for thanksgiving, I will deliberately contemplate one of the things I am most grateful for, and that is a daily attitude of gratitude.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Make it count.
