Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year.  The seemingly endless selection of foods, the smells, the atmosphere, and the decorations – what’s not to love about Thanksgiving?  No presents to worry about, just friends and family gathered together to share a special meal.  Many of my fondest memories relate back to those Thanksgiving days - breaking bread with loved ones and sharing stories, watching football, and just having a good old time. 

But Thanksgiving isn’t just about stuffing ourselves with turkey, smoked ham and pumpkin pie.  It’s the time of year our hearts turn to give thanks for the daily blessings we have received. 

Some of us may have realized many successes this year or just struggled to get by and wondered when it would get better. The spirit of Thanksgiving reminds us that we are all truly blessed and that there are indeed many good things about our lives.

We begin to put things into perspective and realize the true meaning of being blessed.  We begin to think about the joy our loved ones give. We remember that we are blessed with our health, housing, a job, friendships, and our daily bread – many of which we had taken for granted.

And then it clicks - there are many things we should be thankful for. We should indeed be thankful for getting well when we were sick, for having a roof over our heads, and for living another year.

Thanksgiving to me is about hope and gratitude; the need to recognize and value what we have in our lives and not on what we don’t.  What will you be thankful for? 

Happy Thanksgiving