Counting Our Blessings

This year seems to have jumped into a jet and disappeared. At times, it is hard to believe we are in the holiday season already and will soon be welcoming in 2025. We’ve survived the election, a faltering economy, and a host of worldwide challenges, including weather-related catastrophes and wildfires. Let’s take a collective breath.

By the time you read this, many would have already planned their Thanksgiving menu, and for others, part of your meal is simmering in the oven as you look forward to gathering with family members to celebrate. For my family, our traditional meal includes turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, macaroni and cheese, greens, and dessert, often followed by to-go plates. I am thankful.

“If the only prayer you say throughout your life is ‘Thank You,’ then that will be enough,” Elie Wiesel, author and Holocaust survivor, once said.

 Being thankful, in my opinion, isn’t for a certain day or season, but it is an attitude that can be adopted in our lifestyle all year long. It can elevate our happiness level and foster a sense of gratefulness in our lives. There is a sign on my bedroom door that reminds me to “Be Grateful.” How many of us need to do a reset and focus on what’s working in our lives? 

As I grew up, I remember my grandmother emphasizing the importance of being thankful. She’d admonish family members to “count their blessings and name them one by one,” referring to the lyrics to a religious song (written by Johnson Oatman, Jr. in 1897). As I look at my grandmother’s childhood family portrait, my eyes focus on all the shoeless feet. The picture reminds me of another piece of insight about gratefulness that my grandmother often supplied: “The man complained about having no shoes until he spotted the man without feet.”

Just as a good attitude is a choice, taking the time to look at your life through a lens of gratefulness is a choice as well. Even in tough times, you can make a decision to squash self-defeating thoughts and focus on the positive. Even in the worst of situations, we can examine our lives and find reasons to be grateful. Our gratefulness can be a weapon for fighting off darkness, hopelessness, and despair, and we don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving to start counting our blessings.

I’d like to hear from you. What brings you joy? What’s working in your life? What are you grateful for? Name some things that bring you a sense of joy and contentment out loud, then do a written blessings list.