I smiled this morning as I recalled something José told me a few years back. His colleague, who had a son in the US, told him of the terrible hurricanes that her son and family had experienced. Then she went on to say, “People are so glad to be alive that they’ve decided to announce a holiday next Thursday and give thanks for God’s protection.” José realized she was referring to Thanksgiving Day, smiled and decided not to educate her.
Thinking about this, I’m wondering if she was not right. Shouldn’t Thanksgiving be a day to celebrate that we are alive? What better gift can we have then life itself?
Transforming Common Days Into Thanksgiving
The celebration of Thanksgiving is not part of our Indian culture, so pardon me if I offend anyone by what I say next. I get the concept of setting days aside for special celebrations – birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, #GivingTuesday, Thanksgiving and so on. What worries me is the rest of the days – the ordinary ones. Do we keep all our expressions of love and affections for birthdays or do we express love all year around? Is Christmas the only day we celebrate the fact that God lives among us or are we aware of this on ordinary days too? And so with Thanksgiving, is that the only day we’re mindful of the abundance we enjoy or are we constantly grateful for life and all that it brings our way?
“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” – William Arthur Ward
From my experience, there is nothing as life changing as gratitude. It has changed the way I look at life, made my life so much more meaningful and allowed me to heal and forgive. Yes, I still have miles to go, but I’m on my way. Gratitude helps me to see how every bad thing is an opportunity for learning and growth.
This month, as always, I have plenty to be grateful for, but I’ll focus on the gift of my family, especially my Dad who celebrated his 90th birthday on the 4 of November. We had a celebration with the extended family and it was wonderful to have an aunt, an uncle, my brother and my nephew speak about Dad and the person he is. They brought out different aspects of his life and personality – a son and brother, a Army officer with a distinguished career, a loving Dad and a doting grandfather. The common thread was his faith, his reaching out to help others, his ability to adapt to changing life circumstances and his self-effacing nature.
Thanks Dad for being an example to so many, not least of all to me! I’m grateful – even if I have crazy ways of showing it, at times. 😉
Today, I invite you to focus on gratitude as you make your way through the day, and attempt to look at everything through with grateful eyes. It’s amazing how different the world looks through gratitude-coloured lenses!
Kimberly Montgomery’s 21 Day Gratitude Challenge is another chance for us to make gratitude an integral part of our lives.
Our Gratitude Circle post is a regular feature on the 4th Thursday of every month.
Join Vidya Sury and me by writing a gratitude post and linking in to us and adding your linky to our Gratitude Circle Hop post. The linky is open for a whole month. Add this pretty badge to your post/ site and visit and read the other posts linked.
A very happy birthday to your Dad, Corinne. He’s such a wonderful and inspiring person! Love that photo! I have your wedding “family” photo and was enjoying going back to look at it!
Gratitude absolutely makes life more worthwhile. Ever since I started writing a gratitude journal years ago, it has been transformative – yes, I love to think my glasses are tinted with gratitude.
Happy Everyday Thanksgiving! I love our Gratitude Circle bloghop!
Love, Vidya
Vidya Sury recently posted..Tuned Into Gratitude
What a lovely post! What a lovely photo! Great to see your family together Mam.
And yes, there is a takeaway as well for here: Transform each day into a thanksgiving day.
Ciao
Thanks, Jini. It’s a rare photograph – I’m glad we took it. Thank you for stopping by to read, comment and share. Much appreciated.
Corinne Rodrigues recently posted..Daring To Start Over
I always thought these “special” days had a strange vibe to them. Why only on thanksgiving do we give thanks. and why so much hassle with the food????? All the the other made up holidays always confused me as well. Aren’t we meant to be loving to all the time? Birthdays I’m still on the fence about. 😉 It all depends who you spend it with.
Ah! Glad you get me! Birthdays confuse me too! 😉
Corinne Rodrigues recently posted..Daring To Start Over
While I appreciate your sentiment of feeling grateful everyday for the blessings and abundance in our lives rather than acknowledge them on special days, I sometimes feel that a public announcement of our gratitude list may just attract the evil eye and I prefer to make my list in private rather than share it with the world.
Bellybytes recently posted..Underneath the Golden Arches-Orchid Garden , Singapore Botanic GardensÂ
I don’t agree about the evil eye, Sunita, because the very notion goes against the principles of gratitude, which is abundance!
Corinne Rodrigues recently posted..Daring To Start Over
Thanks to Gratitude Circle, the day I decided on writing a gratitude list every month I began to see more of positivity around me. Many years back, there was a friend of mine who always said that there are many people who do not have shelter and have nothing to eat so we must consider ourselves lucky that we do not have to struggle for atleast the basic needs of life. I did not get it then. However, going through the ebb in life, then recovering from that place, to be able to blog and to get into the habit of writing gratitude list has made me more aware and grateful for the little things in life. Also, as you mentioned we must be grateful to be alive. I liked your family picture for the smile on your parents’ faces. I absolutely love the sight of elderly couples smiling in photographs.
Believe me, a gratitude practice is the best investment you can make in your well-being, Anamika.
The last line in your post made me smile, as I thought of your post earlier this week!
Corinne Rodrigues recently posted..Daring To Start Over
Hi Corinne,
What a lovely picture! Such pics remind us what is real gratitude. Days are fixed just to acknowledge and highlight the values of life. I believe each day is worthy of thanking all those people around us who make our life as happy as those smiles in the picture. Thanks for sharing!
Balroop Singh recently posted..Idyllic Hours
I’m so happy to be back linking up with you for this. I love this concept, and I love reading what other people are grateful for. It warms my heart xxx
Janine recently posted..7 Things I Am Thankful for This Week
Happy 90th Birthday to Uncle!
That’s a lovely post Corinne. It’s not been even an year that I started writing Gratitude List and I have been feeling the change. I look at what made me happy and not what could have made me happy. Last night – I went to a dinner and I was thinking how much happiness can you actually fill in your heart if you remain for what you have. 🙂
Parul recently posted..I am thankful..
“Gratitude-colored lenses”—love it! And I’m all in for wearing them permanently 🙂 Great post, Corinne. What a lovely family you have—and so fortunate to have them close to you.
Guilie Castillo recently posted..Gratitude is my religion
Thank you for this post. It really is amazing how much your outlook and life can change by acknowledging all the things your are grateful for on a daily basis.
That was such a lovely post, Corinne. I love love love seeing a picture of your family! I think I’ve finally made gratitude a habit in my daily life. So now I can feel free to focus on the eat and drink of Thanksgiving. 🙂 But then the scale the very next day. 🙁
Karen McDonough recently posted..MURPHY’S RANCH aka THE NAZI CAMP
As always the perfect thing to say, the perfect words to use. All my love on this wonderful thanksgiving feeling. We are Alive and well. Hugs.
I totally agree with the importance of expressing gratitude throughout the year – it should definitely not be limited to the Thanksgiving holiday! The practice of gratitude is truly life-changing.
Laurel Regan recently posted..Today’s Gratitude List + November 2015 Gratitude Linkup