Tag: thankfulness

A Constant State of Thankfulness

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I know it may seem strange that my dog, Bob Marley, would be my source of inspiration and reflection. I’m a dog lover and have been for most of my life. This little guy is seven and has been ill the last month or so. It’s the first time we’ve dealt with major sickness in the time we’ve had him. It caught my family by surprise.

The surprise was found in the nature of a first time, but it also caught me taking his constant companionship for granted. I’ll confess that I always thought of him as a constant, constant as the earth I walked on everyday. I know better.

As Bob Marley has been recovering (too soon to say full recovery), he reminds me everyday that now is what is constant. Epic living is found in that statement. There’s a chance you’re thinking that you’ve heard this story before. More flip advice from a world full of lists and how-to formulas. Maybe so, but ask yourself when you last said thank you for the following:

  • The breath of life
  • Your family (immediate)
  • Your luck
  • Your work (not your employer in this example)
  • People who helped you get to where you’re at
  • Friends who stuck with you when things got ugly
  • Your health

I’m advocating the now because it breeds a constant state of thankfulness. Discovering thankfulness when it’s too late is painful and ripe of regret. You can start now, right now, if you want to.

The Crazy Part of Thanksgiving

The crazy part of thanksgiving is we’re not that thankful-at least most of us. It’s not a conscious act that makes us un-thankful. Most people have good intentions. However, as you know, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Can you feel me here?

I used to wonder in my homeland why people tend to get thankful at Thanksgiving and during the general holiday season. I don’t any longer. It’s very clear that we Americans like entitlement. Yes, you heard me, we like entitlement(s). Look around and look within, the beast lives within. Whether we’re impatient for traffic to “get moving” or anger that we didn’t get a pat on the back from our employer, we feel like we’re owed. I won’t even pull out my list of embarrassing things in my past that made me feel entitled. I live a different life now than I did in those days past. Just the same, I have to keep careful watch over my reactions to circumstances that don’t cater to me.

Here’s some encouragement to consider:

  • Take a moment and ponder present or past losses. When you do that, you’ll find out what’s worth being thankful for
  • Find some way to remind yourself daily to be thankful. I use my iCloud calendar to do this. Find a system that works for you
  • Exit the stuff not worthy of the gift of time. I can’t figure this one for you, it’s a dance you must do alone
  • If the herd says go left, you should think hard about going right. The herd got us into this constant state of distraction
  • Read this profile of a man who knew he was running out of time and did

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Thankfulness in the Midst

This post was written in November of 2008. I'm dedicating it today to a dear friend who has refreshed my belief in thankfulness.

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When you think of thankfulness, is it bitter, sweet or both?  In America we're soon to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday.  This one is quite different than many before.  So many issues pressing against us.

I have many friends who are now downright pessimistic about the future.  They see so much bad on the horizon that it causes them to lose hope. 

One conclusion I've come to is that I don't have the power overcome their fear.  All I can do is live out an example.  To that end, here's what I'm doing:

  • Giving thanks in the midst of hard times.  It's easy to be thankful when all is going your way.  The test of our integrity comes when we have to fight through our own losses.
  • On-purpose indifference to the media.  Don't get me wrong, I'm staying informed.  I'm just not confusing substantive information for selling.  This is big.
  • Continue my habit of speaking about a better future.  Not a future provided, but a future created.
  • Embracing the little things that are large.  For example, one glance to create a connection with another human being, so they know how important they are.
  • Remember, remember, remember that fear only needs my attention in-order to succeed.

I'm confident that by doing the above I will live a life of thankfulness.  That's the best legacy I can leave for my friends.

Thankful for Today

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Today's post is dedicated and in honor of those who are just hanging on or battling demons to fierce for me to know.

Today, only because that's all I've been given, I am thankful for:

  1. Jesus Christ
  2. My wife, my kids and my dog
  3. My friends near and far
  4. My Health
  5. My mission
  6. Running in cool temps
  7. Music
  8. The ability to have empathy
  9. Prayer
  10. Humor
  11. Nature
  12. Wine