Today, I’m thankful. Yes, it’s that time of year – tomorrow is Thanksgiving after all. We know it because our inboxes are flooded with emails that say things like “Black Friday Starts NOW!”, and “Cyber Week is HERE!”. Tomorrow we’ll take our day to be with family or friends or ourselves, and be thankful. We’ll pass the stuffing and take turns going around the table stating what we are thankful for. We pick one thing, we name it.
But it’s more than that.
It’s the “giving” in ThanksGIVING that gets neglected.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m so incredibly thankful. I could say all the typical things about being thankful for my kids, my parents, my family and friends.
And I am.
I truly appreciate that my village is special, and I don’t take for granted how lucky I am to have the support of my family, the bonds with my friends, and the three special humans who call me Mom.
But it’s more than that.
It’s a deep appreciation for life and the beauty of the world that we must not take for granted, even as our lives become more difficult and complicated.
But it’s more than that.
It’s about humans.
So what about the “giving” part of Thanksgiving? I’d like to think this doesn’t just mean a one-sided act of “giving thanks” – that it’s about our output of thankfulness. I think we should use this word and really reflect on how we can give ourselves to others. And then turn that into action.
This doesn’t need to mean that each person needs to give themselves in a physical way, in person. Yes, it’s amazing and important to volunteer.
But it’s more than that.
There are other ways to give ourselves to others.
It’s about connecting. Showing up. Finding those pathways to connect with other humans, whether it’s by smiling to someone on the sidewalk, lending your neighbor a hand, meeting a friend to listen. Messaging someone a heartfelt compliment. Sharing a new experience with someone. Supporting a nonprofit arts or other organization on Giving Tuesday or throughout the year.
Giving ourselves.
Giving our time, our energy, our positive thoughts, our connection with other humans.
My life is flawed, imperfect. But I’m thankful for it. And people have given so much to me – so much help, so much love, so much energy, so much time. I’m so very thankful.
But on this Thanksgiving, I’m inspired to be thankful that I can give – and see what ways I can be there for others in person, in spirit, in positive thought, and in relationships that I’d like to preserve, build, and grow.
Thanks for listening to my thoughts.
Are you thankful for something in particular this year? Are you giving yourself to others?
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