I have two short connection messages today.
Here in the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday, and my heart is full as I count my blessings. My husband and I will step on an airplane in the morning to visit our son and his wife in Texas. I haven’t seen them since last Thanksgiving! Our daughter and her husband will be driving in from New Mexico to meet us for Thanksgiving, so I’m a happy Mama!
My connection message is simply to practice gratitude every day, not just at Thanksgiving. Dig deep inside and connect with those precious blessings. Being truly grateful for those good things in our lives is a powerful magnet for inner peace and joy. Even in the midst of tragedy or sadness, the conscious exercise of identifying something for which we are thankful can be remarkably healing.
The second thing I want to share today is a very short (less than two minutes) video that Laura Roeder shared with her students this morning. Kevin Spacey’s powerful message is that if we’re looking for the “Ultimate Prize” (success, happiness, etc.) outside ourselves, we’re missing an essential connection in our life. The connection we need to make is with the inner knowledge of what we want in life and why we want it. “If you feel you have something to give—if you feel that your particular talent is worth developing, is worth caring for—then there’s nothing you can’t achieve.”
So regardless of your circumstances, go forth in gratitude, and whatever your talent or your gifts may be (Don’t forget that your smile and your attention are valuable gifts too), share them today with whomever you meet. The world needs them!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I’m grateful for YOU.
Photo credit: “Warchi” via iStockPhoto
I was carrying around a lot of “stuff” every time I moved. And it was important stuff! My black leather riding boots and band jacket from high school color guard. My ball cap collection – gathered over 30 years of travel. My motorcycle jacket from my misspent youth. Framed posters of Cary Grant and Clark Gable that my Aunt Agnes gave me 30 years ago. And albums – I’m talking LPs. I couldn’t play them because I didn’t have a turntable! But when I went into my apartment for the last time and had to make choices, I grabbed all my books and research. I grabbed family photos and genealogical research. I grabbed my great-grandmother’s bible – the one her teacher gave her in 1800-something. I grabbed photos of my grandchildren. I grabbed my laptop and back-up. And I made sure everybody I loved was out of the flood zone.
Karen, I can feel the terrible pain of those choices, yet I sense that even in those awful hours, you knew what was most important…and still do. Sometimes it takes an emergency like this to remind us of our true priorities. I still hate that you had to go through it and lose so much that you valued.
In 1996, the north fork of the Shenandoah River filled up our basement, seeped into our screen porch, and got within three or four inches of getting into the main floor. We moved furniture upstairs all night long, but unlike you, we were never in danger ourselves, because the way out was uphill and away from the water. I remember sometime in the wee hours of that morning, with the roar of the raging water in my ears and working by lantern-light because the electricity was out, I was overcome with a sense of complete calm and peace, even though I thought the house was going to be filled with water and mud. My family was okay and I knew we’d be okay and that we’d done all we could do. The rest was out of our hands. I’ll never forget it.
I sit here and contemplate the days ahead thankful for a loving and gracious God who constantly provides. He is totally in control even when I think I am – I am not. He blesses us with husbands/wives children and so much more. May we love our family like it’s thanksgiving every day and give thanks to our divine Father for these earthly gifts.
Amen to that, Andrea. Thanks so much for visiting an commenting. Happy Thanksiving.
I’m very grateful – every darn day – for a loving family. The squeals of, “MoMo!” when I walk in the front door. The roof over my head. My faithful friends. And so much more.
Karen, thank you so much for reminding us of the things that so many take for granted. With the upheaval in your life from flooding, I know you DO think of these things every day, and we should too. I’m thankful for your comment!