Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving day. Even though we don't celebrate it as a public holiday in Indonesia, I love the idea of Thanksgiving day it self. Thanksgiving day in United States is a time to offer thanks, of family gatherings and holiday meals. A time of turkeys, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. A time for Indian corn, holiday parades and giant balloons, to celebrate what it's known as a harvest festival before. Traditionally, it has been a time to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. According to Wikipedia Thanksgiving is celebrated by the American people on the fourth Thursday of November every year.

Apart from the euphoria of Thanksgiving day, it's true that we don't have to wait until Thanksgiving day to express our gratitude and thankfulness. Just like what William Arthur Ward said:

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”

As a catholic, every time I celebrate the Eucharist, I use it as an opportunity to give thanks. The word itself, “Eucharist” is a Greek word that means: Thanksgiving. We don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving Day to express our gratitude to God and one another. In fact, cultivating an “attitude of gratitude” is actually a spiritual discipline that can bring us greater happiness in the long run.

Every night before I sleep, I thank the Lord for giving me another day to live my life, the precious gift of my family and for all the graces God has bestowed upon me.
I always ask myself, what am I grateful for today?
That simple question has never failed me. It really helps me to stay positive despite the not-so-good things that occasionally happen in my life.
Because I believe, the more you notice good things and appreciate them, the more good things come into your life.

By being a grateful person, we're able to see the world differently. There are always good things behind everything that happen. Life is beautiful as always.


Note: What are you grateful for today?