It's that time of year to be thankful for everything that has made our lives as wonderful as they are, but in the midst of being thankful do we ever stop to appreciate? I know you must be wondering whats the difference? So let me break it down for you.

Your family cooks you dinner and out loud or perhaps in your head you say “thank you” and then you think to yourself that you are thankful, and you're not wrong. Your friend makes you coffee in the morning because you didn’t have enough time or they cut you some fruit for a long ride, and you say “thank you” and for a second you think to yourself that you are thankful. Your parents wash the dishes for you and maybe you say “thank you” and you think in your head, that you are thankful. Or maybe its as simple as someone always looking out for your well being, make sure you drink an extra glass of water when you're sick, and even then, you may or may not say “thank you” but in your head, you truly are thankful.

But appreciation goes beyond that “thank you”, it goes beyond taking something from someone and thinking that a couple simple words, or even your thoughts of thankfulness are enough. Well, they're not enough. At least not all the time. I know its around Thanksgiving time and I am very aware that just a few nights ago you said a few thankful words around a dinner table. But in this harsh world, we need to be especially thankful multiple times a year. We need to remember all those times we said “thank you” and speak with that person, and tell them just how much you appreciate what they’ve done for you. Its so easy to feel used, even with a simple thank you, but I personally know the weight that comes with someone telling me that what I do matters greatly to them, and why. Sometimes, we need reminders like these, in order to keep up with all the good, charitable, loving acts that we occasionally do out of the kindness of hearts. And sometimes, we need to remember that we don’t deserve everything that we get, its because of the hard work and loving care of other that we get them. And because of this, I believe that it is worth the 5 minutes, to sit down with that loved one and tell them that what they do matters, and that nothing that they have done has been taken for granted. This year, its not enough to be thankful, this year, be appreciative.