In a day and age where we are so busy, rushing from one thing to another, I find that we often forget how to pause long enough to remember to be grateful.
Not just the “I’m thankful for you” moments that are expected.
I mean true, deep gratitude.
The kind of gratitude that comes with depth, with silence, with pause.
And while we have the opportunity to practice this kind of thankfulness all the time, we are usually so preoccupied with what we should buy, how we should look, and how to gain more power or money that we forget to look around us and see who is continuing to walk by our side.
It’s almost Thanksgiving, a holiday that comes every year. But this year I’m finding myself approaching it differently. I want to rediscover ways to be grateful this thanksgiving.
In light of the ongoing pandemic, social justice rising, and continued uncertainty in the world, I’ve realized there are very few things in my day that I can control.
But one of the things I can control is the ability to be grateful.
I have been at so many Thanksgiving tables where, when it comes time to share in the ritual of “what are you grateful for this year,” the person stops and realizes they are grateful for the basics. They aren’t grateful because they own a big house or got a promotion, they are thankful to be alive, to have people to share their life with, and for the privilege it is to live in this society.
Your celebration may look very different this year. Instead of hosting a big party or gathering at a familiar location, you may only be celebrating with one or two close friends. Perhaps you aren’t able to go home this year as you always do. Even still, you might not be able to make a feast like you normally do.
Can I just remind you that it’s not about the traditions, it’s not about the kind of food you eat, and it’s not about the table you set?
Break down the word “thanksgiving” and exchange it for “give thanks.”
I encourage you to give thanks this year for the basics.
5 ways to be grateful this Thanksgiving.
1. I am grateful for food.
Think about how the food in front of you was made. If you have bread, remember that someone had to grow the grains, another had to mill the grains to make the flour, and someone else had to mix ingredients to make the bread. It’s a long process. Check out these two videos on milling wheat and baking bread, it is truly an incredible process!
2. I am grateful for shelter.
Your apartment, condo, house, or farm didn’t just miraculously appear one day. Many people had to come together to pour the foundation, build the walls, and secure the roof. Then others put in indoor plumbing, electricity, and heat. Homes are truly amazing places.
3. I am grateful for water.
If you’ve ever talked to someone who has worked, served, or lived in a third world country for any period of time, so many say that they took for granted having water at the tip of their fingers. If you stop to think, being able to walk to your kitchen sink and pour yourself a glass of water is miraculous. There are so many people in the world who have to walk miles to find fresh water every day. What a privilege it is to have running water.
4. I am grateful for technology.
If you’ve been around This Old Soul long enough, you probably know that I write a lot about putting boundaries around your technology. While a lot of this is due to the craze around social media and the obsession with phones, I also think it’s important to acknowledge and be grateful for technology this year. Without the internet and phones, distance learning for schools and FaceTime with family and friends would not exist. I am so thankful for the ways that technology has allowed us as a society to continue to hobble along amidst this pandemic.
5. I am grateful for my family and friends.
I think it’s so easy to go along with our rhythms and routines and forget to stop and recognize all the ways we are grateful for one another. This year especially, think about specific ways you can tell the people you love that you are grateful for them, more than just “I’m glad you’re in my life.” Think outside the box and let them know why you are glad to have them on your journey.
Now, this is a part of practicing gratitude that is very difficult for many people. I recognize that many do not have great relationships with family, or perhaps have a particularly strained friendship right now. For people in those circumstances, I would encourage you to find gratitude for the people in your life who are continuing to stand by you, support you, and want you to thrive.
This might be a list of only 5 ways to be grateful this Thanksgiving, but I’m confident you can come up with more! Leave me a comment and tell me what YOU are feeling grateful for this year.
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