On Being Thankful
Hi friends! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday. We had a very peaceful and quiet day. I didn’t get a chance to put up this post yesterday, but it is still relevant today.
In all the hustle and bustle of every holiday season each year, many are focused on Black Friday shopping, cooking a big meal, dealing with houseguests, and sometime the in-laws. Sometimes we get so lost in the preparation and hustle and bustle of it all, we miss what is right in front of us.
Yesterday, I did a lot of reflecting on life, and said prayers for all those people, both kids and adults, who didn’t have anyone to spend Thanksgiving with. The homeless, the hurting, the ones sick in a hospital, and then all of those around the world who have lost loved ones.
While all the big hubbub is exciting, fun, and also stressful, we need to cherish what we do have. Who we have. Who is truly there for you. Who stands with you, not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of the year. Are there those that just show up because they are obligated to, or feel like they should, or are they there because they really care about you?
What about those that have cut you off, and want nothing to do with you? Do you pine over them or do you accept it and just move on? Or those that only contact you if they need something. You know…you’ve got them in your life too. We all do.
During my quiet time yesterday, I thought about these things. And the people in my life who fit these descriptions. I asked myself, “why do we waste time thinking about these people? Because when we do, it only hurts me.” So yesterday, I wrote one goal down for myself that may seem a little odd. I wrote down “don’t waste any of my time today dwelling on those who don’t want to be a part of my life”. Yes, I actually wrote that down. Because there are people, who were once in my life, and are now not, not because of my choosing, but because of their choosing to not be in my life. I knew myself well enough to know that if I spent more than one minute thinking about them, I would end up in a pile. Guess what, I did not spend more than one minute dwelling on them. It’s ok.
Instead, I spent my minutes, being thankful for what is here with me now, who is here with me now. Thankful for the people that are a constant in my life, each and every day of the year. Thankful for the life I have, the home I have, and all the many blessings. I spent my time working on things I can control, not things or people I cannot.
I also spent my minutes, thinking and being prayerful for all those kids who wished they had enough food to just fill them up for one meal. Those who went to bed hungry last night. Those who went to bed alone last night. Those who would have been grateful for just a warm bed or warm house to sleep in. Those who wish their parents would play a game with them or who they wish wouldn’t always be drunk. I thought about all those kids who suffer from abuse, and don’t have control over their situation.
I don’t mean for this post to be sappy or depressing, but rather one that makes you step back and think “you know, I have all I need.” And I do. Even without all the gifts at Christmas, I am content with exactly what I have. Who I have.
So instead of getting wrapped up in all of the hustle and bustle, take a few minutes this weekend, to reflect on and say prayers for those in Ukraine, and also right here in our own country who are hungry or cold. Lonely and alone. Everyone is important. But we all have a choice. Today I choose Thankful.
Have an enjoyable weekend!
Libby