Local malls are decorated with garland, shopping centers have their lights strung, stores have their holiday merchandise prominently displayed, and the radio stations have holiday tunes playing 24/7.
Yes, it’s finally Christmas time!
Wait, did I miss Thanksgiving?
As much as I love Christmas and the weeks filled with decorations leading up to it, Thanksgiving will always be one my favorites. Not only is the food unbeatable, but it is a dedicated day of realizing what it is that I’m thankful for—a day that shouldn’t be overlooked by our society as much as it is today. So what do we have to be thankful for? There's always the typical answers- family, friends, our health, but here are a few blessings in disguise that we often overlook.
- You’re obviously reading this article on some sort of electronic device, whether it be a computer or a phone. Believe it or not, many people do not have access to this technology, so you are one of the lucky ones.
- Also if you’re reading this, it’s probably because one of your friends shared the link on their page, so having awesome friends (even acquaintances on Facebook that you barely know) is obviously something you should be thankful for as well.
- Whether today’s forecast predicts sunshine or thunder storms, the weather is something to be thankful for. When it is gloomy and rainy for weeks straight, you realize how much you love the sunshine and how it somehow has a way of making life that much brighter. When it’s nothing but sunshine for a while, likewise you- and the flowers- start to miss the rain.
- The guy that cut you off while you were driving this morning? Yep, you should be thankful for him too. He (or she) showed you how much you hate that, so remember that the next time you go to do it to someone else. And for all you know, that person may have been rushing to a family emergency.
- The person who almost made you late for class because they walked so slow and monopolized the whole walkway? You’re thankful for them too, because they made you slow down, made you look and see what was around you, what you usually would just walk by and pay no attention to as you hurry to class with tunnel vision.
- While speaking of being late to class, or complaining because all of your teachers are piling on all these last minute assignments, did you forget to be thankful that you have the opportunity to go to school…to further your education? While school may seem pointless and like a load of stress right now, you need it to get to where you want to be in the future. The same goes for the job you have, whether its 9-5, five days a week, or a part-time job.
- And lastly, if you are reading this, then that means that you woke up today. You got another chance to be with your friends and family, to make things right, to try and make a difference in this hustle-bustle fast paced world. I readily admit that I am just as guilty as the next person who hits that snooze alarm multiple times, pulls that blanket over my head and complains about how exhausted I am. But I rarely stop to realize that I should be thankful that I’m exhausted, because it means that I have taken advantage of the opportunities that keep me involved and busy. I should be thankful for that morning alarm clock ringing, because that means God has blessed me with another wonderful day.
Being thankful is a choice, one that we must train our minds to chose daily. But the first step is to recognize what it is that we’re thankful for.
Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you “Gobble ‘til you Wobble!”
