Gratitude for the Gifts of Life
Halloween was the unofficial start of the holiday season for many folks. As soon as the candy was passed out and consumed, some people started hanging holly, queueing up “Santa Baby” and creating lists. We put a lot of focus on gifts: buying, wrapping, hiding, shipping, giving, receiving. The average American will spend almost $1000 on gifts this holiday season.
Thanksgiving these days feels more like the day to carbo-load in anticipation of Black Friday shopping. Turkeys are thawed and roasted or fried; untold numbers of side dishes are considered and cooked. Pies are baked, tables are set, TVs are tuned to the games of the day. Let’s eat, clear the table and either settle in to watch 12 hours of football or head out to the mall to hit those holiday sales.
What sort of gets lost in all this is the idea that Thanksgiving is specifically set aside to take time to say thanks, to express – or at least contemplate – gratitude for the successes and accomplishments of the year, by whatever definition those words fall.
For those of us who come from dysfunctional families, we understand the need to be part of a family, because the feeling of not having a loving, close family is a void that rarely disappears. That’s the family I grew up in. And that’s what I remember most at Thanksgiving time: an emptiness that’s with me always, especially when I’m with my wife’s family, who are very close-knit. I am thankful for my wife, son and daughter, who help me get through Thanksgiving Day – and the other 364 days of the year.
This year, as with every year, I will give thanks for good health and prosperity. I’ll also acknowledge my appreciation for the air-conditioning that got us through the hottest summer on record, for another hurricane-free year without the need for my generator and for the folks at my favorite coffee shop who keep me caffeinated and give me free “office” space – and chocolate turtles.
I’m grateful for the people I’ve met at book signings, those who’ve read and reviewed my book, Jack in the Box, and who’ve helped me celebrate my lifelong goal of getting a book published.
In my book, I talk – in Box II: My Journey, the chapter entitled “The Gift” – about the gifts of a lifetime, those whose very presence in our lives is a better gift than any expensive store-bought present. Of course, my family figures prominently on my list. And there are more than 30 others I name who’ve given me the gift of their presence in my life. They are the mentors, role models, collaborators and lifelong friends who’ve given me the types of gifts you can’t wrap: candor, brotherhood, generosity, music, wisdom, understanding, loyalty, memories, support.
As we move through this and every holiday season, I challenge you to set aside time to reflect on the gifts you’ve been given throughout your life and to spend a moment giving thanks for those gifts and the generous people who’ve given them to you.