The turkey is in the oven; a chill breeze is in the air. By this time on Thanksgiving Day, if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably already consumed three times your daily calorie limit in snacks and the table hasn’t even been set yet. Maybe you go around the room saying what you’re thankful for, and today, you really realize how lucky you are. Whether family or friends surround you (possibly doing a “Friendsgiving”) chances are you feel thankful.
The full belly and the full heart usually make for pretty happy folks on Thanksgiving. A meal followed by a football game surrounded by people you care about is a pretty awesome scenario. You’re a lucky person. Maybe life isn’t grand to you all the time, and for nobody it is, but if you’re reading this, chances are you own, or have access to, an electronic device with Internet access. That’s a pretty big deal.
Look at the little things in life. The car you drive might not be a Rolls Royce, but it does run. You might not attend an Ivy League school, but you’re still learning. The ramen you eat is far from a filet mignon, but it still fills your belly. You might have had a fight with a mom, dad, sister, brother, friend, spouse, etc., but at least they are here. Your feet might have blisters, but you can walk. Your lungs might hurt, but you can breathe. You might have bad days, but you are alive.
If you woke up this morning with more health than illness you are more blessed than the million people who will not survive this week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the agony of imprisonment or torture, or starvation, then you are luckier the than millions of people alive and suffering.
The light and happiness that fills our daily lives comes from gratitude on every level: gratitude, every day, even in areas we do not want to be grateful for. Find the good and see the silver lining in everything you can. It’s so beyond cliché, but it works. It’s more than counting your blessings every night; it’s about understanding how abundant the wealth in your life is. You decide the value of a dollar, regardless of how many you have. A little goes a long way in the sense of happiness. The happiest people I know are the most grateful for everything that has ever come their way.
So, when Turkey Day rolls around, remember to be thankful on more than just Thanksgiving, because really, you have it so good, it’s just up to you to see it that way.
