Thanksgiving: Taking Stock of Our Lives

Introduction:

Welcome, my friend.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day in the United States, and with this weekend being the final one before we step into the last month of the year, we can draw inspiration from that and use this as a valuable opportunity to take stock of our lives.

Here, to take stock means to reflect thoughtfully on the year we have experienced thus far, evaluating it through the lens of those things for which we can be genuinely grateful.

Ideally, this isn't a simple task, as each of us has encountered distinct experiences and may readily pinpoint events or circumstances that have gone wrong.

Nevertheless, our purpose here is to identify the positive elements, even those that may not appear so on the surface or the ones that we have come to overlook and take for granted.

These elements, however subtle or familiar, are significant, and we're going to take stock of them.

This is the basis of today's conversation.

Discussion:

Thanksgiving is a positive disposition because it shifts our focus to the good things in our lives, enabling us to recognize and acknowledge them.

In truth, the practice of giving thanks is fundamentally a deliberate choice.

Which is backed by the fact that in identical circumstances, different individuals may respond with either gratitude or ingratitude, depending on their respective mindset and degree of self awareness.

This suggests that much of our ingratitude simply arises from failing to perceive the numerous things that are worthy of our appreciation, some of which we're now going to talk through.

■ What Are We Grateful For?

If we were asked to compile a list of the things for which we are most grateful, what would naturally come to mind?

Or would we find ourselves with an empty list, unable to pinpoint any positives within our present circumstances?

Regardless of our individual situations, we possess the capacity to choose gratitude for any one of the following reasons:

▪︎ Life 

The privilege of being here and contemplating if there's enough to be grateful for, is reserved only for those who are still alive.

Which makes life itself the primary reason for thanksgiving.

Indeed, inside the gift of life lies hope and faith, the belief that all our remaining desires and aspirations will one day come to pass.

This is the fundamental source of our optimism, the assurance that, regardless of present circumstances, things can always get better.

While we may want to escape from ourselves because of the weight of some of our problems, it doesn't mean that it can't get lighter.

Challenges are an intrinsic part of life, and our efforts to respond to them and persevere through them give life its meaning.

▪︎ Love 

Love gives us the strength to face life directly and to continue pressing forward, as we strive to remain alive for the sake of those who love us the most.

The experience of feeling supported by those around us during times of difficulty is not something that should be taken for granted, as those who have had to face hard times alone can well attest.

Love sustains us, providing warmth and encouragement every step of the way; therefore, we should be grateful for every expression of love that has been shown to us.

Yet, this can be particularly difficult when we do not feel this love in places we most expect it; especially from those to whom we have given ours and from whom we want the same in return.

However, even in such circumstances, we can still choose to be grateful for the love we have freely received from some other folks who didn't have to, but still chose to, anyway.

Sometimes, this kind of love feels even more special.

▪︎ Good Health 

The gift of a sound mind and body, capable of showing up to fulfill our responsibilities, is something for which we can be deeply grateful.

It is easy to take our health for granted when we are accustomed to carrying out our daily activities without hindrance.

However, if we have ever been sidelined by illness, we'd understand that when a person is unwell, nothing else matters to them except recovering.

Ill health imposes limitations that restrict what we are able to do, diminishing our capacity to engage with life.

Therefore, for the activities we are able to perform and the things we're still able to experience, there is good reason to be grateful.

▪︎ Adversity 

The things that do not kill us have the effect of making us stronger, and the fears that we have conquered are precisely those that we have faced head on.

Difficult times are not pleasant, but they build the strength of our character, leaving us better off for having endured them.

Truly, only the test of fire makes fine steel and when we've been through disappointments and failures and are still standing, we develop the kind of resilience that makes us better equipped for the future.

However, it is difficult to see things in this light when we are still in the midst of our adversity, when we are still being tested and the struggle is ongoing.

Yet, time has a way of making it clearer, and for that eventual clarity and growth, we can choose to be grateful even now.

■ Adopting The Mindset Of Thanksgiving 

It's natural for us to dwell on the negatives amidst lots of positives, let alone in a bad situation where our sadness and gloom are valid.

Which is why thanksgiving is intentional, making the choice to look out for the things to be grateful for.

Here, it helps to be specific, narrowing it down to even those little things that we now feel entitled to or deserving of.

Indeed, life deals each of us different hands, but it's usually according to what we can bear.

So if we feel this is too much for us, maybe it's just because we're strong enough.

■ Security - The Ultimate Source Of Our Thanksgiving

As believers, our relationship with God provides the ultimate source of our assurance, enabling us to be grateful in all circumstances because of our trust in Him to come through for us.

When we know that He is fully aware of our situation, we can remain thankful and grateful.

This means that we're able to receive the lessons that our present circumstances hold and look forward to the eventual rewards that will come as a result.

Our relationship with God gives meaning and purpose to all our circumstances, as we rest in the promise that everything works together for our good.

This is the foundation of our perpetual thanksgiving.

Summary:

For one or more of the reasons we have discussed, we can indeed be grateful, even when there are other things in which we feel we fall short.

Gratitude is a choice, and the more we choose to be thankful, the more things life provides for us to be thankful for.

Master Apprentice.

www.x.com/truekingmaker