It's (Canadian) Thanksgiving: a time for getting together with family and taking time to be thankful.
But do we really take time to be thankful? Or are we too busy moving on from one family dinner to the next?
What is there really to be thankful for in the first place? Isn't our world wrought with growing crises, break-neck schedules, reality TV that is a far cry from anything remotely 'real', mass-media political brawls that are the stuff of conspiracies and wild headlines weeks after?
We go from disappointment to disappointment, from broken rule to broken vow, from 6 to 11 24/7/365, and suffer all the crises and stress and medical breakdowns and PTSD and anti-depressants and on and on . . .
When does it stop? And then we have a day like Thanksgiving which is spent rushing around and eating yet another heavy meal--if you happen to live in the right socio-economic sphere in the western world--and you wonder what the whole deal is.
If you haven't stopped and thought about what to be thankful for, here are some tips. It's not in any particular order, but just things that come to my mind:
1. Life: It's beautiful and at times tragic; it's full of complexity and wonder and pain and joy. It's life, and it's real, and big, and totally beyond you or anything you can fathom. Be thankful for the breath you breathe--right now. Be thankful for those around you, even if they sometimes cause you pain or anxiety--at least you're not alone. Be thankful for the moments of your life that you reflect on in wonder and joy, and at the moments that lie ahead of you, regardless of how many or few.
2. Relationships: Whether you're married or living with someone or just entered a relationship with someone that's more serious than 'just friends' you have a lot to be thankful for. Apparently those who are even in rough marriages live healthier lives than those who live alone. Be thankful for your spouse or fiancee or long-term relationship, and seek to make it better.
2. Family: Sometimes family is tough. Sometimes family can cause hardship or pain or misunderstanding and miscommunication. Sometimes family can be the furthest from your thanksgiving. For those who have great families, be thankful. For those who don't, or are going through a hardship, be thankful for those moments of clarity, or for moments of peace, and then try to extend that peace over longer periods of time.
3. Food: With millions dying of starvation around the world, you can be thankful for the food you ate today, and for the food in your cupboards. You can be thankful that we are not going through a food scarcity crisis; that food is ample--at least in most parts of Canada.
4. Shelter: Most Canadians have a place to live. It might not be perfect, it might not be all that you dream of or hope for; it may not be what your relatives or friends have; it may be smaller or older or not as nicely decorated; but when you go to bed this evening, and are protected from the elements, be thankful. It's simple, I know; but we live in a society when houses are investments, and out-dated kitchens are those with the "wrong cabinets" or counter tops or not the newest stainless steel appliances.
5. Employment: If you have a job, be thankful for it. If your job is making you sick, revaluate. Be thankful for the work you're doing if its satisfying; and if you're living your dream, you have much to be thankful for. If you're in a job that's good but not entirely satisfying, be thankful for it, and look for ways to bring more of yourself to it everyday.
These are simple things--I know. But it's important to each day take a moment to be thankful for at least one thing. When you're in a rotten mood, you can be thankful for something. When you feel life is not worth living, if you think of one thing to be thankful for, then you might find that one thing you'll give your entire life to from that moment on.
Be thankful.
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