|
Gratitude: The Heart of Thanksgiving
The heart of
Thanksgiving is gratitude as we celebrate the blessings of life.
Being grateful
— expressing our thanks and appreciation
—
promotes life, letting friendship, closeness, and unity
bloom.
Grateful people
report higher levels of positive emotions, life
satisfaction, vitality, optimism, and lower levels of
depression and
stress. Being
thankful enhances pleasant feelings more than it diminishes
unpleasant emotions. Grateful people do not deny or ignore
the negative aspects of life, but they focus on finding the
good.
Gratitude unlocks the
fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and
more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order,
confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast,
a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.
Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today,
and creates a vision for tomorrow.
—
Melody Beattie, author of
The Language of Letting Go
Simple Actions You Can Take to Connect
& Strengthen Your Relationship with Your Child
> |
Give Thanks
Before
you begin your Thanksgiving dinner, look around the table.
Really see the people who are there. Don't focus on
the food
—
focus on those you share the meal with.
Be
sentimental. Openly share your love and
appreciation. Go around the table, acknowledge the
good, and express your gratitude. Remind each other of
earlier times and happy memories.
Say a
prayer.
Gratitude does not require spiritual faith, but faith
enhances the ability to be grateful.
Thank God
for the food and for your family and friends
— and
for the blessings of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. |
