Where is the thanks in thanksgiving for you? Many people offer thanks for the good things in their lives to some higher power. Many pay it forward by making donations of money or time to charities that help people who do not enjoy our advantages. I certainly try to do both these things, and this year, I intend to express more thanks to other individuals.
Thanking Those Closest to Us
We often thank friends and relations for specific things they do, but how about offering a more generalized thank you just for being such a good friend, parent, child, or whoever? I plan to set up some ecards to be sent to my loved ones on Thanksgiving Day for this very purpose.
On the other hand, sometimes a specific compliment has greater power than a general one. It’s nice to tell the person who cooked the turkey, “It was good.” It’s even better to acknowledge something specific about the turkey. “The turkey was so juicy. What did you baste it with?”
And Those Not So Close
Many of us automatically close a conversation with, say, a cashier with the words “thank you.” How about making it just a little bit more mindful. Look the cashier in the eye and offer a big smile and say, “You are always so pleasant. Thanks for brightening my day.” How about clipping a thank you card for the mail carrier to your mailbox?
Here’s a more challenging idea: find a way to compliment someone who is not always so pleasant. “Thanks for handling my groceries so carefully.”
My Thanks to You
It’s hard for me to find the words for how grateful I am to all of you who follow my blog. A special thanks for every comment or bit of feedback. And thanks for every post you share with someone else who might find the material helpful.
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Thank you, Margaret, for your ongoing posts and helpful words! My nightly novena as I lay me down to sleep begins with “Thank you for this day, Lord. It was a good day.” Whether it was “good” or not…It was another day, it was life, and it was good. Hope we all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Best, JB
Thank you for your encouraging comment.You have the “attitude of gratitude.”