Thanksgiving

Time for a stereotypical holiday post, you know, the one that tells you what it really means to be thankful this Thanksgiving holiday. And I wanted to write this to add my voice to the thousands that are trying to explain the true meaning of living thankfully (at least for one day). But I also wanted to do something a little differently, I don't want to list things I'm thankful for, I'm not going to ask you what you're thankful for, and I'm not going to tell you to be grateful. Those are all good things but I'll leave them to other people to tell you. Rather, I want to challenge you.

Thanksgiving is "an expression of gratitude". An expression is "making known your thoughts or feelings". So on Thanksgiving we should actually be making known our thoughts of gratitude, not just keeping them to ourselves. And if we take a moment to think of what we're really grateful for, what really makes a difference in our lives, it's people. The people surrounding us shape us into who we are and bless us in incredible ways. So instead of just being grateful this Thanksgiving day, I challenge you to go thank five people who have blessed you in the last year. Just five. Go tell a handful of people that you appreciate them and what they've done for you. This could be your parents, your siblings, your best friend, the person who cooked the meal, anyone who has benefitted you in some way. 

Saying "thank you" isn't that hard, but we often forget to do it. People appreciate being appreciated, and when we don't tell them thank you they can feel forgotten. There are so many people in our lives that make a difference, and we take many of them for granted. Instead of just having an attitude of gratefulness, or listing things your grateful for, go tell five people that you appreciate them. Let them know they're not forgotten. Inspire them to continue on. 

In the spirit of this challenge, I want to say thank you. Knowing that people will read what I write encourages me to keep writing. And I love writing. If you are reading this than you are inspiring me to continue doing what I love, and I'm very grateful for that. You are the reason I continue to write my thoughts down, organize them, and post them. So thank you. 

Enjoy your Thanksgiving and help other people enjoy it by making them feel appreciated! Take a moment to tell five people thank you, after all, that is what Thanksgiving is all about.