I woke up this morning and all I could say was thank you and that I am grateful for the opportunity to see another day. I barely opened my eyes this morning and I was able to see how many people were able to get up before me and wish me a happy thanksgiving. It’s amazing how the holidays roll around and you are reminded about all the things and people that you are grateful for in our lives.
In our daily lives we are often so busy or so involved in things that we forget to take a moment to appreciate everything that our life is comprised of. I couldn’t help but think about being grateful for the opportunities that we have to make a difference in the lives of others. Several things happened so far today that gave me a different perspective not just on thanksgiving, but how I celebrate everyday of my life.
Thanksgiving is traditionally associated with food and football, and today is no different. Although, if you were watching football earlier there was a story on Chris Henry (former football player for the Cincinnati Bengals) who passed away last year talking about his life. While it was a very unfortunate event losing a loved one, the story centered on what his mother did in the face of the tragedy. At the time of his passing his mother made the decision that based on her son’s physical condition his organs could help give some others a second chance. There were some individuals who had been waiting on the transplant lists for quite a while and she was able to help four individuals by donating the Chris’s lungs, kidneys, liver, and pancreas.
The story became very touching as they showed her meeting the families for the first time and saying that they were now a part of her family as the spirit of her son was living through them now. While a tragic loss, Chris’s mother turned this experience into a positive for others because she was grateful that her son was in the physical condition he was to help these individuals that he never had the chance to meet.
So after a conversation I had with a friend of mine this morning as they were telling me how thankful that they were for my friendship I continued to think about a few things.
What does it mean to be grateful? What are you grateful for? Are you taking advantage of the things that make you grateful? Are you grateful without action?
At this very moment, I can tell you that I am grateful for everything in my life good and bad. The bad things actually are a blessing since they really make you realize how grateful you are for the learning experiences and opportunity to stay humble.
On this Thanksgiving 2010, I am grateful that you are a part of my life and that I can share my thoughts with you. Have a blessed holiday while enjoying the time spent with family, friends, and loved ones. Enjoy today for what it is, as you don’t know what tomorrow may bring.
“A friend is one with whom you are comfortable, to whom you are loyal, through whom you are blessed, and for whom you are grateful.”
-William Arthur Ward
“When you are grateful fear disappears and abundance appears”
-Anthony Robbins
“Each day offers us the gift of being a special occasion if we can simply learn that as well as giving, it is blessed to receive with grace and a grateful heart.”
-Sarah Ban Breathnach
“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
-Marcel Proust
“When we are grateful for the good we already have, we attract more good into our life. On the other hand, when we are ungrateful, we tend to shut ourselves off from the good we might otherwise experience.”
-Margaret Stortz
“Given the amount of unjust suffering and unhappiness in the world, I am deeply grateful for, sometimes even perplexed by, how much misery I have been spared.”
-Dennis Prager
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