Thanksgiving is a good day to reflect on the things one can be thankful for. Family, friends, work, health and just living on a place as special as Kauai are few of the blessings that come to mind. Sometimes, the
Thanksgiving is a good day to reflect on the things one can be thankful for. Family, friends, work, health and just living on a place as special as Kauai are few of the blessings that come to mind. Sometimes, the things to appreciate are not always clear but they are often right in front of us.
In life, sometimes we are so busy worrying about money, relationships, our jobs, that we get overwhelmed and despair. It’s those days when it’s easy to overlook the blessing in our lives. Many of us know the love and nurturing we can get from family and friends, but others aren’t so fortunate. Be thankful for the people you have in your life, for those who surround and guide you.
It’s easy to get caught up in negativity. It only takes a few angry thoughts to make your life feel like it’s slowly spinning out of control and it’s too late to turn around so you might as well drag others down with you. It’s easy to look at others and criticize who they are and what they do — far easier than actually trying to help, point out the positive, even taking time to really know someone. Too many people have too much time to gossip, and that’s sad.
Too many people find fault in others, but none, of course, in themselves. They know better than everyone else. Maybe, for a change, try a little kindness and a compliment. Stop glaring and start smiling. That goes a lot farther, makes a far bigger impact and comes at a bigger surprise during these days when many have built walls to keep the wolves at bay. So, we encourage everyone to focus on the positive, at least today. Be grateful. Laugh. Enjoy. That will not only help calm your nerves, it could even make you feel happier.
Our actions, whether we realize it or not, affect those around us and the very community we call home. And we have the choice to do what we can to make others feel a little better about their day and about themselves, or make them feel worse. We can hold grudges or we can forgive. We can call that relative we vowed never to speak to again, or we can maintain that cone of silence.
On this day, look on the bright side. When you’re gathered around the dinner table, be thankful for who you are, what you have and what you do, the people you know and even those you don’t know. You are likely far richer, in many ways, than you could ever imagine. No one wants to realize, late in life, they could have known and shared joy and peace all along, but missed out because they let stress, anger, jealously and regret rule their days.
It’s the only life we have. Let’s make it the best we can.
