Saying thank you, throughout the year, is polite and instilled in us at a young age. Thanks is a common ending to an email. Thank you is commonly said after receiving kind words or a gift.
But what is the giving of thanks? Using only the word, while acknowledging someone else’s giving, falls far short in understanding the deeper meaning of giving thanks.
To be grateful and thankful for all that we have can only be shown in reciprocity. By understanding the value of what we say thanks for and then sharing what we were given by others. Being generous with our time. Helpful when asked. Present when needed.
Life’s glue comes from a caring that can only be shown through our actions. For example, taking the time to make an unexpected phone call to someone rather than sending them a quick two sentence email after they helped you in some way.
The hardest time to give thanks is truly during our time of need, distress, and confusion. When we are told things that would benefit us but we insist on not hearing. When life’s bitter lessons embrace us, without immediate relief, forcing us to change direction for the better. Our frustration blinds us from the real need to give thanks for these situations, that ultimately, can be so beneficial for us to evolve as a person.
Being generous with others, without judgment or expectation of acknowledgment, cultivates a spirit of thanksgiving that goes far beyond an elaborate meal or a day filled with football on TV.
Being generous in spirit, time, & attention is more valuable than money. Especially to those that receive your generosity throughout the year and not only on one day.
Happy Thanksgiving!