The Power of Gratitude

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  In fact, ever since my son was little he always has said Thanksgiving is his favorite as well.  As a small child, his simple answer to the question of why it was so special was simply “It’s about family and being thankful, not about presents.”

Thanksgiving is an American tradition and the day that we give thanks for all that we have, and for the have-nots which are sometimes blessings in disguise.

What I love most about Thanksgiving is how pure it is (I will not be dismayed nor downtrodden due to the stores trying to infringe their greediness for the $ by opening on Thanksgiving Day for early “Black Friday Specials”. I truly think that this fad will pass as the statistics show they don’t really make that much more, but I digress).

We don’t buy gifts for each other. We give of ourselves, we give time together with family and friends. Some of us give of our hands by creating culinary masterpieces for other to enjoy on that day (or the next day if someone forgot to thaw the turkey)

The Thanksgiving Holiday is not bound by any religious barriers. Any one of any faith, or no faith can participate.

Gratitude and Thankfulness are pure.

Gratitude and Thankfulness are powerful.

They heal wounds, heal spirits, strengthen your core inner-being – if only given a chance.

If you want to give someone a present that has the potential to have a life-changing effect on them, give them the gift of gratitude.
Tell them how much you appreciate them. Write them a letter or send them a card. Tell them specifically what things they do for which you are thankful. Tell them what makes them so unique and different. This gift is practically free except for the cost of the card or paper and the stamp. It’s practically priceless. And I promise you, it will be a treasured gift to them.

As the Month of Thanksgiving comes to a close, I am reminded of, celebrate, and rejoice for things for which I am most grateful.

I am thankful for:
My health … Without health, nothing else matters very much. I know I’m not as healthy as I should be, and there are mornings that I wake up and take a new breath for which I don’t pause in my busy day and express gratefulness for. But, I do realize and know, health is a daily blessing.

My family … Some I haven’t seen for years, but your influence in my life is still true. Some I see often, and again, I may not tell you enough how much you mean to me. Family will always be…Family.

My experiences … some beautiful, some scarey, some breathtaking, some sad. Some I’m happy with how they turned out, some I wish I could turn back the hands of time. But none the less, my experiences have molded and made me who I am. I am thankful for…Life.

My country … I consider it an absolute blessing to live in America. It’s not a perfect country, in fact, it never has been. But, it’s still a place where people sacrifice their life every day to want to try to come and live here.

People in other countries will die trying to express their true religion. People in other countries will die today expressing their true feelings about the political landscape in their country. People in other countries will live a day in complete and utter oblivion to what the outside world is really like due to the intense and thick propaganda that grips their country. People in other countries will live in squalor with no hope of a better tomorrow, no chance to even try to be helped because everyone around them for hundreds of miles are just as destitute as they are.

A few years ago my husband and I were blessed to visit Jamaica. We took a tour bus to a plantation deep within the island. Once we left the main “tourist” strip we were taken back in time. Or at least, that’s what it felt like. The bus wound through the jungles, on back roads. We passed shacks on the hillside, people living in what looked like 5 pieces of plywood tied together with rope. It was a ride in which I was constantly being thankful for our little home.

Thanksgiving Month always reminds me that I love my life.

P.S. I do practice what I “preach” and often send cards of gratitude to people. It’s a simple way to give someone a gift that can truly be life changing. I use a simple online system where I can pick a card or create a card with my own pictures. I can then write my own personalized message, click send and then it’s done. If you would be interested in seeing the system I use, feel free to visit my card system here.

P.S.S Yes, I am an affiliate with the program and I will reap a little profit from your use of the system.

Hugs and feathers from the nest~~()~~

Kim Steadman is the COOP (Chief Online Operating Person) for The Re-Feathered Nest. A place of encouragement for moms entering the Empty Nest Zone who find they need to RePurpose and ReDesign their lives now that the kids have flown the coop. Kim can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheRefeatheredNest and on Google+ at +Kim.