Not long ago, we celebrated the beloved tradition of Thanksgiving. With great preparation and anticipation, this treasured holiday brought tastes savory and sweet and satisfying. Whether upon rising in the morning or while dining later in the day, we paused to give thanks for the spaces of our lives worthy of gratitude.
Where are you finding gratitude? Throughout our nation this year, we have seen struggle surround us. We don’t have to look far to find the pain of job loss and economic decline. Families are making tough decisions every day as they evaluate their greatest needs and make difficult sacrifices. We all aren’t sleeping quite as soundly as we were in more prosperous days.
At first glance, it may seem incredible to propose that gratitude can be found. For some, this year has brought more heartache and pain than imaginable. Discussing gratitude couldn’t seem more insensitive. For some, you have witnessed others touched by these tender times and have been spared. Gratitude is close to your heart. For most of us, we journey somewhere in between —feeling the effects of trying times and testifying to both grief and gratefulness.
Regardless of our circumstance in this season of economic challenge, the value of reviving gratitude in our lives cannot be underestimated. Our ability to be filled with gratitude amidst trying times is vital to our own wellness and to our community’s spirit. When hit by the blows of difficulty, why is gratitude so important?
Gratitude changes our perspective and offers new ways of thinking. When we are grateful, our current resources become enough. We turn toward the present and its abundance and our focus lessens on what is lacking. With new perspective, we find acceptance and clarity. We find gifts where there were dilemmas. We find lessons and learning where there were mistakes. We find peace in our past and a vision for the future. Gratitude propels us to journey ahead.
Our emotions are a powerful driving force in our life. When we feel grateful through trials, we transform worry and anxiety. We diminish burdens and resist the way they live in our body and thus the toll they take in our lives. When we cultivate gratitude, we attribute value to our circumstance or situation. When we claim gratitude through struggle, we declare our pain or disappointment or loss will not be wasted. Instead, in our gratitude, we grant value to an aspect of our life where great significance has taken place and where it leaves a priceless legacy.
One of the most powerful effects of gratitude is that it transfers our focus from ourselves and our circumstances to others. We live in a hurting world. We are surrounded by people in pain and in need. When we feel grateful for the small or large details of our life, we open ourselves to others. From our fullness, we recognize we can (and must) lend ourselves to the needs of others. Our ability to find places of gratitude in the midst of struggle fosters a spirit of generosity and a lifestyle of goodwill. It transforms our lives and does the same for another.
As you consider the presence of gratitude during this holiday season, I invite you to be mindful of the places in your life where gratitude resides. Where might gratitude struggle to be revived? As you seek to feel the fullness of gratitude in your own life, begin to act in ways that inspire gratitude for someone else. Seek to care for the needs of those around you. Perhaps the greatest attribute we can be grateful for is the character we possess during these times. I wish you a meaningful journey of reviving gratitude and inspiring it to flourish around you.
On that note, if you felt the blessing of a plentiful meal during this Thanksgiving holiday, please consider donating to a food bank in support of our community’s families needing assistance this year. For information, visit www.hopelink.org.
Shannon Renae West, MS LMFT is a licensed family therapist working with adolescent and adult women on the greater Eastside. For information, visit www.ShannonRenae.com.
