Give Thanks

There are three weeks (and counting) to the big day.  That is, the day of turkey and the fancy china and relatives from out of state.

Thanksgiving marks the onset of the "holiday season."  Yes, it's that time of year again.  For many people, this means there are two more weeks to mentally (and physically) prepare.  There will be list making and attic searching.  Budget crunching and the perfect tree to locate.  Leaves to rake and vacation (or stay-cation as the case may be) plans to make.  Santas will take up residence at malls nationwide. Sign-ups for Salvation Army bell ringing will crop up and those jingling bells even more so.  Charities will come out of the woodwork.  If you're ambitious, there's the family newsletter/holiday greeting card.  Holiday music will filter through the radio in the car, at the grocery, in the elevator at the doctor's office.  Weight may be a concern and the threat of overeating exacerbates that.  Oreo icing will turn to red (speaking of overeating).  In the hustle and bustle of preparing for the looming holiday season it's very easy to forget the small things.

I'll be the first to admit that I don't need the excuse of the holiday season to distract me.  It's so easy to become engrossed in the day to day and week to week craziness of life that we often forget to stay grounded in what really matters.

This idea motivated me to make a commitment beginning today until Thanksgiving.  Instead of worrying about the impending holiday season and the rush that comes with it, I want to spend more time thinking about what I'm thankful for and dedicating each day of the next two weeks to a different thing I'm thankful for.  It's the things we're truly thankful for, such as our family and friends, that truly give the holidays that sense of beauty and joy.

On a personal note, I've recognized that this holiday season might be a tad disheartening for my family.  After the rather unexpected loss of my dear Grandpa N, Christmas just isn't going to be the same again.  Those "firsts" without the ones we lose are often the hardest.  Throw in the rest of the amazing story that is my family dynamic and I can already see how I've got to make sure I keep myself grounded.  I think this is by and large the main reason why I've decided to really take this on, if nothing else but for my own emotional health.  I know I have so much to be thankful for, I'm very blessed in my life and it would be a shame for me to lose sight of that.

I'll go ahead and single out that incessant elephant in the room... We should really be thankful at all times for what we are blessed with, not just at special occasions.  The twice a year thankful heart doesn't make for a happy person, if you ask me.  No, I just really feel like I want to do this.  No implications attached.

With that being said, here's to giving thanks.  Here's to staying focused on what really matters.  Here's to being thankful for all the blessings that life has to offer.  They're the stuff that make life worth living.

Cheers!

Signed,
RF