Thanksgiving. I know it’s a week late at this point so now all the focus is on Christmas and the winter holidays, but hang on, don’t go just yet. Remember all the delicious turkey, yummy dressing, candied yams and pecan pie you ate? Remember all the gossip, chitchat, laughter and discussion that happened at the table? How about the football on TV? Surely all of us have very fond (or funny) memories of this year’s Thanksgiving with family and friends. But truth be told, not a single one of those things is what I remember.
This might have been the first year I actually (read: really and truly, yes, actually) thought about the meaning behind Thanksgiving. I know I have lots to be thankful for. I am thankful every single day for my health, my family and friends, my job, my overall happiness and appreciation for life in general. But do you really think of those things at Thanksgiving? I must admit, I usually don’t. It’s normally all about the food, family and fun. Making sure I’m at my parents house on time and that I don’t forget anything. And of course, I usually put too much thought into what I should wear. I’m sure I’m not alone here, right?
But something really resonated this year with me. I overheard someone say: “What are you thankful for this year?” Someone replied: “Isn’t that just understood?” While no one seemed to mind the comment and just went ahead with the meal, I couldn’t help but wonder: “So what if it’s understood? Wouldn’t it be nice to say it out loud?”
For the past seven days I’ve given this quite a bit of thought. Personally, a lot has happened in my life in the last year. I have lost touch with old friends and made new ones, realized more about what I truly care about and why, learned a lot about myself, my goals and ambitions, and come to understand much more about the people I surround myself with on a regular basis. I guess you could say I have taken a step back from my life every once in a while and evaluated it from an outside perspective. There have been times when I have felt very much appreciated and there have been times when I haven’t. And the bottom line is, the latter really isn’t that fun.
If you’re thankful for someone, say so. If you’re glad someone’s a part of your life, let them know. Thank your lucky stars that you are where you are today. Be thankful for the guy who delivers your morning paper, the barrista who makes your coffee, your coworkers who put up with you everyday, your family and friends who listen to the tiny details of your everyday life, the bus driver who brings your children home safely after school, the teenager bagging your groceries, the customer service rep on the other end of the line and be thankful for every “good morning,” “how are you” and “have a nice day” that random strangers say to you in the elevator.
While these gestures may seem small and maybe even insignificant in our daily lives, think about how much you like being thanked. It’s always nice to hear that someone appreciates you–whether it be for helping out, for being there when they needed you, for being generous and giving, for being a good listener, for giving advice, for taking charge when no one else wanted to, for always remembering when other people forget or for simply, being you.
If you didn’t give thanks on Thanksgiving, that’s okay–I’m sure you enjoyed lots of family, food and fun just like me. Honestly, we shouldn’t just be thankful on Thanksgiving; we should be thankful every day. It takes two seconds to say thanks and let someone know how much you appreciate them. I mean, let’s face it. The truth is, it’s not always understood.
- L
(Oh and hey, if you got all the way to the end of this post, thanks for stopping by.)
