Giving Thanks

“When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself.” ~ Tecumseh

Having just finished up with our annual Turkey-stravaganza (three family gatherings and enough food to feed a small town), I’ve found myself thinking about a very brief but powerfully impactful event that happened over the weekend.

Thanksgiving Day is generally (regardless of what it meant decades or centuries before), a day to gather with your family and break big bread with them. To some, it means football, to others it simply means a long weekend and short work week. However, one very real point of the day is right in the name itself: to give thanks (or, if you prefer, to take a moment and appreciate) for those good things in your life. A buddy of mine reminded me of that with one simple out-of-the-blue text …

“I’m thankful you’re my friend. :)”

It made me realise that I should be mindful, a lot more mindful, of the things I have to give thanks for in my life …

Even though (to anyone who knows me) it goes without saying, I’m thankful for my wife. Having her light, love and laughter in my life makes every day a great day.

My parents … all three of them. We don’t get to see each other often enough due to distance but we do what we can. This weekend, my mother came down for a visit and I took the opportunity to take her portrait before she headed home (seeing as how she’s been a photographer for 20+ years and my introduction to it, I thought it was apropos).

My good friends Dave, Mike, Andi, Brad and Smitty. Always there when I need them.

My health. It may seem trite but I’m rarely sick.

I’m also thankful for my career. Through it, I get to create and play and express myself. I get to meet some pretty cool people each and every week, not to mention travel.

So, there it is – my short list of things I’m thankful for. The full list is much, much longer but the stomach grumbles. Oh, yeah … I’m thankful for holiday leftovers, too.

Cheers!