Thankful?

The American holiday of Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and if you live in the USA you will find yourself increasingly subjected to articles, blogs, vlogs, memes etc. about ways to encourage a spirit of thanksgiving in your life. It gets a bit cloying after a while. And yet, cultivating a spirit of gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to dispel depression and gloom.  And I can attest to the fact that it is perfectly possible to cultivate a thankful spirit even if you are the most wretchedly critical and gloomy kind of personality!  I have done so. And if I can, coming from the “woe is me” kind of background that I came from, so can you! I end every day thinking back over my day to remember the things that I have to be thankful for. I usually start with the fact that I woke up. At my age, and with my health, that is something to be truly thankful for!

Even the things that started off bad, were annoying, upsetting, or frustrating can often produce a kernel of goodness with a little bit of reflection.

Today, for instance, I got confused over whether or not I was supposed to pick up my grandson after school. I hate that this kind of thing is happening more often, lately. I got a reminder on my phone which was unexpected because I had in mind that I was picking him up tomorrow. I had both days on my calendar and if my phone was right, and my memory was faulty, I had only just enough time to join the pickup line. That set off a flurry of reactions - a text and a phone call to my daughter asking for confirmation which went unanswered because she was winding things up where she works, then a mad rush to gather keys, glasses, boots, coat (it snowed today!) so that I could drive the 15 minutes to his school, just in case. My husband dropped what he was doing to accompany me because the weather was bad (his words) but really, I suspect, because he wanted to ensure that I didn’t drive too fast!

As I got into the car, who should jump from the back of the car into the front but Truman our cat who had apparently been shut in the car since I had arrived home with groceries two and a half hours earlier! He was unharmed by the incident, but it was cold, even in the garage (41 degrees) and he is a very pampered house cat. So, I’m sure you see the kernel of goodness that resulted from my muddle-headed confusion. Truman has stayed close all afternoon!

When Aethelreda returned to Britain after her time in Rome, she realized some fundamental human truths about how connected we are to our origins. She discovered that “home” was not just the place where you were born but it is the pace that is “built into every organ and limb, and deeply seated in (the) brain.”* Her return to Britain brought an upwelling of emotion that she responded to with gratitude.

“As she stepped back on to British soil, she felt almost a thrill of electricity, as if her homeland welcomed her return. She picked up a handful of the golden leaves carpeting the ground and murmured a prayer of thanksgiving. But if you had asked her which god she had addressed, she would not have been able to say.*

Being thankful is something you can cultivate. To do so is to remind ourselves there is so much in life that we take for granted, including waking up each morning.

Finally, today is November 11^th, known variously around the world as Armistice Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day. I for one will always be grateful for those who served and who still serve their countries in the armed forces.  In about half an hour it will be 11:00am and I will pause for two minutes silent reflection which will include thanksgiving for not ever having to put my life on the line for a principal. May it remain that way.

*Bound by an Oath page 294