I’ve always loved Thanksgiving. For me it has always been a day when I spend time with family I only see once a year. It is a day filled with lots of fun times in the kitchen preparing tasty food, lots of football watching, and great conversations around the dinner table. For my family, there are probably more traditions wrapped up in the single day of Thanksgiving than the entire season of Christmas. I’ve always liked it that way.
I’m realizing more and more how grateful I am for quality time spent with family. After days of television, football games, and the busy-ness of preparing food, a time of quality time was “forced” (?) upon us right after dinner last night. The power went out. And it remained out for about an hour. Without the noise of television, the internet, games and a million other things, we all congregated in one room – cousins, aunts, uncles and grandma – to spend time enjoying each other. And it was beautiful. And we laughed a lot.
After an hour, the lights blinded us, the television reported the score of a college football game, and we inevitably dispersed and went our separate ways for a while – to clean the kitchen, to prepare for bed, to watch the last of a game. But I’m so grateful for that one hour, a time to enjoy togetherness.
I think it’s something we should practice more often.
This year I’m grateful for the reminder that some of the most important things are often the things that are around us right now. To be engaged in the moment, to enjoy the presence and company of friends and family right now, is such a blessing. And the time spent in the moment creates beautiful memories for the future.
What are you grateful for this year?
Addendum: I realized after posting that the tone of this post makes being thankful seem like such an easy thing to do. On the contrary, sometimes it is a hard choice. It often requires forgiving in order to accept one’s current state and situation, and then choosing to be grateful even in the painful situations. I know, I’ve been there. I have my own share of pain that, when compared to some people seems so small, but when compared to others seems large. But this year I am choosing (note that it’s ongoing) gratitude. It’s not always the easiest choice, but is rewarding and eye opening. But maybe there will be more on that at another time …