It's Thanksgiving, So Give Some
Story by Elizabeth Gonzalez // Audio by David Madrid

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This time of year isn't one that makes me particularly proud or excited about stuffing my face in the name of a twisted tradition, but Thanksgiving can at least be a chance to speak of the gratitude that often goes unsaid in our daily lives. In this culture we do a lot of complaining and take things for granted -- expecting that they will always be there because we've always had them without much consideration of how they came to be in our lives. Everything from opening our eyes each morning to having someone we love by our side. Thanksgiving should be taken literally as a day to give thanks, not worry about what you're going to wear or what's going to be on the table and how early you have to wake up the next day to hit the super sales.    

There hasn't been one year that I remember that a family Thanksgiving dinner included anyone saying what he or she was thankful for. For the past few years, I've wanted to bring it up and have people go around and say what they are thankful for that year before they eat. But I never get around to asking and there never is a huge table that allows people to eat together at once. I don't expect that it would be a rejected idea, but it seems kind of strange to have the same crowd that gets together nearly every weekend go around giving their thank yous with a beer in their hand. This year, though, I plan to change that and enjoy the possible strange feelings.

There's plenty to be thankful forstarting with life and the opportunities that we are constantly being given to fulfill our purpose. Even when things seem lacking in our lives, there is a lesson to be learned about what's being withheld.

In my own life I have to give thanks for the love and support that I've received from numerous people who help me get to where I'm going even if they don't know it. I'm thankful for my health, especially since I don't do everything in my power to keep it up. And I'm thankful for the opportunity to always have a choice in the things I do and know that the next decision I make can be a wiser one than the last.

We have to say these things while we are here together with who ever it might be, and not just because when someone leaves your life they might not get a chance to hear you. But rather, because sometimes people need to say things more than the person who receives the recognition needs to hear it. So if you appreciate something in your life acknowledge it and then speak it out loud to whoever helps bring it to your life.    

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