Don’t Wait Until Thanksgiving

Every year, someone eventually asks the question:

“What are you thankful for?”

That was when my mind would go completely blank.

I had an entire year to prepare, yet gratitude somehow felt like a surprise test given while the mashed potatoes were getting cold. Everyone else seemed ready with a beautiful answer. Meanwhile, I was searching my mind for something more meaningful than, “Well, the turkey turned out pretty good.”

It wasn’t that I had nothing to be grateful for. I simply had never developed the habit of noticing. For me, gratitude was something we talked about once a year. It belonged to Thanksgiving, right alongside the turkey, pumpkin pie, and the family member who ate too much and fell asleep on the couch.

My wife, Marcia, has always been different. She begins each morning by thanking God. Gratitude isn’t a holiday tradition for her; it is a daily practice. For years, I didn’t fully understand that. Today, I realize she was training her heart to notice blessings I often hurried past.

Gratitude changes the way we see our lives. When we intentionally look for what is good, we begin to recognize gifts that were present all along. We notice the person who checks on us, the friend who always answers the phone, the spouse who quietly handles a hundred little things, and the family member whose presence has become so familiar that we sometimes forget how precious it is.

We also begin to appreciate ordinary blessings: a peaceful morning, a good cup of coffee, a dog excited to greet us at the door, or another day with someone we love. None of these moments may seem extraordinary, but together they make a life.

The problem with familiar blessings is that they can slowly become expectations. We expect the meal to be prepared, the call to be returned, the work to be completed, and the kindness to continue. We may feel grateful inside, but if we never express it, the people around us may never know.

Gratitude does not mean pretending that everything is perfect. It does not erase disappointment, grief, or uncertainty. It simply reminds us that a difficult chapter is not the entire story. Even during hard seasons, there are still people to appreciate, moments to treasure, and blessings we may not recognize until later.

When I look back over my life, I can see countless ways God blessed, protected, redirected, and carried me—even during seasons when I did not recognize it. Some blessings were obvious at the time. Others became clear only years later. Gratitude has taught me to appreciate what I have today while trusting that there may be purpose in the things I do not yet understand.

October gives us a wonderful opportunity to begin noticing before Thanksgiving arrives. We do not need a turkey on the table or a holiday on the calendar to tell someone what they mean to us. Appreciation is often most powerful when it is specific and unexpected.

Instead of simply saying, “I appreciate you,” tell someone why. Thank your spouse for something they do that often goes unnoticed. Tell a friend how their encouragement helped you through a difficult time. Thank the person who serves you, assists you, teaches you, or consistently makes your day a little easier.

A few sincere words may take less than a minute to speak, but they can remain in someone’s heart for years. We should not wait until Thanksgiving to recognize what we have or to appreciate the people who make our lives better. Gratitude is too important to save for one day a year.

CREATE THE RIPPLE

Before Thanksgiving arrives, choose one person and tell them specifically why you are grateful for them. Make the call, write the note, or say the words face-to-face. Then choose someone else the following week.

Do not assume people already know what they mean to you. Gratitude kept inside is a feeling. Gratitude expressed becomes kindness—and kindness creates a ripple.

Doug Mithun, The Kindness Couple. Author | Speaker | Encourager. 561-542-2163 • http://www.thekindnesscouple.com