In Gratitude….
Several times a year, I fondly reminisce about a conversation that happened on Thanksgiving Day in the year 2016. During the week of Thanksgiving, this conversation crosses my mind several times a day!
We had invited a few friends for dinner. One of the friends asked if we were willing to take a short quiz. On receiving our consent, he asked the following questions:
1. Who does Abraham Lincoln credit for having the greatest influence on his life?
2. What is the estimated net worth of Bill Gates (the world’s richest person at the time)?
3. What social and educational activities did Andrew Carnegie support?
4. In how many movies has Meryl Streep played a role?
5. Who has donated the most money ever to the American Red Cross?
We could answer a couple of questions (best guesses) but none of us could answer any of the questions confidently or completely.
He then asked a few more questions:
- Who has had the most positive influence on your life?
- Name up to three relatives and/or friends who have stood by you at all times?
3. Which of your employers treated you the best?
4. Who would you ask for help when you needed it?
5. Which author has inspired you the most?
We were beginning to feel better as we could answer all the second set of questions.
He then went on to say that we could remember the people in the second set of questions because they had made a difference in our lives in some way. They either supported us, encouraged us, or motivated us and have helped us not only to survive but to thrive. In short, they made our lives better! Most of us would not be where we are without the help and support of these people. While I remember them often and am grateful to them for their acts of kindness always, this Thanksgiving I am expressing my deepest gratitude to them.
Thanksgiving is not about sumptuous food, or watching the Macy’s parade, or rushing to stores to buy things, most of which we do not need. It is a time to show our gratitude. To be thankful to people who have positively influenced us, who have made a difference in our lives, and who are there for us. It is a time to acknowledge their contributions and recognize them and appreciate them. I like to call these people mathematicians as they add to our joys and subtract from our sorrows. It is also a time to resolve to help others, to be kind to others, and be supportive of others. If we are already doing so, we must make a resolution to contribute even more to the upliftment of others. And we should do so completely selflessly, expecting nothing in return except the pleasure of watching them succeed.
Other than expressing our gratitude to people to have contributed positively to our lives, who else deserves our thanks, our gratitude? I am very thankful to the personnel of the armed forces. They sacrifice their lives so that we can live in peace. I am also thankful to firefighters, health professionals, the police, teachers, street sweepers, janitors and the maid who comes whenever we need her and cleans our homes. The list is not exhaustive. It can never be.
Expressing gratitude is not a specific act or an event occurring in time. It is an attitude. Happier and blessed are the people who have embraced this attitude and practice it at all times.
