Not infrequently, we get caught up in the rush, the obligations, and the pressures and demands of holidays, and one of these holidays is just around the corner: Thanksgiving. And, in the craziness that’s often associated with these sorts of holidays, we can so easily forget what they’re really about: just being grateful.
For some, holidays like this one, are difficult because they’re either not surrounded by scores of families or friends, or if they are, the family or group they belong to might not be so wonderful to be around, thus, making it challenging to even pretend to feel grateful. Expectations abound, disappointments and resentments might reign but, in the end, gratitude really is an “inside” job. In other words, it has little to do with what does or doesn’t exist outside of us, or whether or not our lives are going according to the plan that we set for ourselves. Instead, it has more to do with the attitude that lives within us. If we can just remember that, then we’re more likely to be both able, and willing, to emotionally distance ourselves from all the chaos (particularly of the dysfunctional sort) that might occur during these holidays and, in doing so, we can instead go ‘inside’ to find perhaps more gratitude than we might otherwise realize was there.
If family or significant others are absent in your life at the moment, then deciding to volunteer to serve Thanksgiving dinner to those less fortunate might be one way of escaping the prison of self-pity, and, in the process, you might likely meet a bunch of other people who will help you (indirectly) to see that, by reaching out, you’ll find more gratitude in the process. Giving in thanks, indeed.
So, regardless of the circumstances that you’ll find yourself in at Thanksgiving, bring an attitude of gratitude along with you, and let it accompany you each day of the year.