Today American's set forth to escape the ciaos that has become our everyday lives to spend the day amongst family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving, and as we gather around tables covered in American traditions old and new, let us not forget the meaning of the holiday. Regardless of your views, or thoughts, on the "true' story of the first Thanksgiving the meaning of the day is still firmly rooted and continues to thankfully remain uncommercialized. Thanksgiving remains my favorite holiday for this exact reason, it is a day when the only thing anyone expects other than a good meal, is your company.
This year I will not be able to go back home and spend the holiday with my family, but it only helps to reinforce how much in my life that I am thankful for, as I have been so lucky to be flooded with numerous offers from friends, neighbors and colleagues to spend the holiday with them. Sadly I know that today, so many others are not as lucky as I am, and as we gather and sit around our tables of food, no matter how full our plates our tables all we can take a moment to realize we have much to be thankful for.
Too often we forget to thank those in our lives that mean and do so much for us, we fail to see what is truly important in our lives. It has become almost a normal pastime to take our lives for granted, and rarely do we stop to look and see how lucky we really are. I know that even on my worst day, I am one of the lucky ones, and I am thankful that I have been so blessed for all I have and I have learned that what I am most thankful for is not material, but the wealth of people and experiences I have had. I have been blessed to encounter so many people who have shown me nothing but strength and thanks in the face of adversity. Often when one looks back you realize you must even give thanks for the struggles and hardships in your life, as if not for them much of what you have would not be if not for the hardships you previously faced.
Take today to teach the children in your life the true meaning of Thanksgiving, and look to make everyday one in which they give thanks. Thanksgiving is also the perfect time to begin looking at ways in which you can give back to the community. Can't think of any?…stay tuned as I will be bringing you a list of ways you can help underprivileged children!
