Attitude of Gratitude

Tis the week of all things thankful and for that, I must demonstrate my gratitude in as many forums as possible. I am taking it upon myself to search out little things that I don't always notice or pay attention to. Life gets in the way a lot of the time and it's easy to miss the stuff that you're used to.

Over the next couple days I will be posting about things I am thankful for. Cliche, I know. But what's a girl to do? You can't fight the holiday season. It will win every time. No matter how hard I may try to deny it, the season is upon us and it's about to get real. Festive, that is.

Thanksgiving in my family has been exactly the same my entire life. It's held at my parents' house and while some years the number of attendees fluctuates, everything else remains the same. Besides the traditional turkey and stuffing, we eat a delightful concoction of meat and potatoes called fowd which is supposedly a French Canadian thing. I don't know if that's true or not but fowd is delicious and you can trust and believe, I will be eating it like a wolverine.

Having a reputation of being domestically challenged, nobody asks me for help. Ever. I make exactly one side dish - sweet potato casserole. I do this once a year, preferably at my mom's house. During the preparation I am heckled by my mom and sister who are both good at cooking. I have learned not to bother getting upset, my inability to cook means I don't have to do jack squat. This works for me.

I am appreciative of the fact that I am basically feral when it comes to cooking. I don't trust anything and show my discomfort by hissing and spitting at whatever challenge I am facing. I may have resorted to biting on one occasion. Just the one!

Anyway, gratitude is the feeling that makes things better. Gratitude is the only force on earth that can shine a light on the truth of what you already have. It can highlight the bits and pieces of your life that you take for granted. The secret to happiness is appreciating what you have at this moment. Allow me to demonstrate.

I am grateful for my beloved dogs. As Shamus sits on my lap and systematically destroys yet another toy, I say Thank You to God (or higher power, Buddha, nature etc.) for bringing this tiny tornado into my life. When you say "thank you" it means you consciously acknowledge that which makes you feel happy, loved, and fulfilled.

For this week, share three things you are grateful for per day. Not just because it's Thanksgiving, but because you want to appreciate your life more. You want to focus on the positive. You want to say "Thank you" to those who are in your life every day and those you only see once in a while. No matter where they fit into your world, take a step back and appreciate them. If you're lucky, you'll be hearing the words "Thank you" a lot this season.

Mmm-hmm....