The preparation for Thanksgiving has felt so strange. Most of us have had our traditions altered if not totally casted aside for this holiday. There is still a reason to feel gratitude on Thanksgiving.
“Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”
Zig Ziglar
We may be feeling stressed out, depressed or overwhelmed with life right now. We look back to times past and realize we probably took it for granted. Who would have ever guessed our lives would be like this in 2020. Just the simple act of getting together with our loved ones has become dangerous.
It is important to put it all in perspective and be grateful for what we have. There are so many people who have to wait on line for food because they cannot feed their families. I am grateful to have a meal to put on the table.
So many people have lost their jobs due to businesses closing which puts a burden on so much of their lives. I am grateful to have a job and be able to pay my bills.
Every day we hear the numbers of people who have become infected with Covid-19 increasing. I am grateful to be healthy and to have been able to avoid becoming infected thus far.
Unfortunately there have been so many people experiencing the loss of a loved one during this Covid-19 pandemic. The empty chair at the table is especially difficult during the holidays. I am grateful that I have not lost any members of my family to this virus.
Due to the loss of employment, many people have lost their homes during this time. I am grateful to have a home and a roof over my head.
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
Oprah Winfrey
Most of all I am grateful to have the love of my family, all of whom (except my husband) I have not been with since March. The fact that I have these people in my life is my most precious gift and what I am most grateful for this Thanksgiving.
It is in this spirit that we need to focus on the many people in our lives who love and support us:
- Spouses/Partners
- Grandparents
- Parents
- Siblings
- Children
- Aunts/Uncles
- Nieces/Nephews
- Friends
- Colleagues
Even if we are not able to be together this holiday season, we should still be grateful for having these people in our lives in the first place. Take a few minutes and remember the times you’ve been together in the past, relish in these memories. They will get you by until you can be together again. As we’ve heard so many times on the news, we will be without each other this year so we can celebrate again together next year, and every year after that.
Organizing, Growing, and Finding Peace Together 