I’d like to spend some time to focus on the heart of Thanksgiving. Yes, you heard me right, Thanksgiving. It’s the notorious American holiday that requires eating until you grow a “food baby” or fall into a food coma, watching Macy’s Parade, and giving thanks to our loved ones.

You might be wondering, why start a conversation about Thanksgiving now? I do not mean in any way, shape, or form to diminish the grandeur of this traditional holiday, especially since I will be fully participating in the Turkey Dinner festivities mentioned above in about 700 hours or so. My hope is that writing about the holiday that falls on the fourth Thursday in November a couple of weeks early, I might enhance your celebration of Thanksgiving, not detract from it.

I believe there is danger in classifying one day a year as “Thanksgiving Day”. It is the exposure of suggesting that thanks is due on this day, but not on others. We stumble upon a parallel danger, for example, when we assign the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. Shouldn’t children give credit to their mothers more than once a year? Likewise, shouldn’t we be grateful more often than once a year in November?

In a few weeks, Americans will commemorate Thanksgiving Day with our families, friends, and even those who sometimes don’t fit in either of those categories. Yet, for many of us, the actual holiday is so jam-packed of commotion that we have little time for intended, extensive giving of thanks to God.

Considering the actual events on Thanksgiving Day, it can be quite blasé. In addition to watch the Macy’s Parade, millions of people are watch football, while tens of millions of people cook an abundance of established Thanksgiving food. Then they all get together to eat more than they should, only to complement their gluttony with some pumpkin or pecan pie. Then they clean up, watch a bit more T.V, and that just about concludes the day for most people. This central focus of this day is more than watching the same floats go by in the parade each year and eating avidly, even though there can be something astonishing about just being with your family.

I’m not going to ask you to give up any of your prized Thanksgiving traditions. Go ahead and watch the National Dog Show after the Parade, drive hours back and forth to your grandmother’s house, and eating way too much stuffing instead of the beast of a turkey your mother prepared for hours. These are delightful traditions, but I am going to ask you not to forget the heart of Thanksgiving.

In fact, I’m going to encourage you to let Thanksgiving to be more than a day. Why not take time during this week to call your grandparents to tell them how much you miss them, explain to your parents how much you respect and honor them, and even try not to pick on your younger siblings because they refuse to like you last Instagram post? Rather, try to remember God’s blessings and thank Him for them. Doing so, you will find that your celebration of Thanksgiving is wealthier and more complete than you have anticipated it could be. As a matter of fact, you might just discover that your overall exhilaration with life advances.

It is time to stop and smell the roses, which in this case, means to thank those in your life that matter to you. Even if it is writing a quick note for them in the morning, a thoughtful text, or just simply saying “thank you” to only one other person this holiday season, this small gesture goes a long way and can make a difference in their lives. This attitude can spread…and plus, hearing that someone is, in fact, appreciative for you, is one of the best feelings one can ever experience.

Time away from social media reminds you to slow down. This holiday season, consider your family traditions and activities, the conversations you would want to remember in 20 years, and what type of break from school or your job you’d like to have. If you enjoy sharing everything with others via social media, do so. However, don’t let it distract you from enjoying the holidays. It is the connections with our loved ones right in front of us that are supposed to be made during such a joyful time of the year; not exactly the strength of your WiFi connection.

I ask you, well basically recommend you all to take time in this season of Thanksgiving to illuminate the real expression of gratitude toward your loved ones. You’ll be glad you stopped scrolling, liking, and posting; and started thanking!