Thanksgiving Is the Special Time of Year

The winter is fast approaching and the holidays are just around the corner. Gone are the summer days when I used to wake up and the sun would greet me with its bright and shiny light.

As the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer, it’s pitch dark in the morning when I start writing. The happy days of summer are over as we’re headed towards the dark, gloomy days of winter.

Luckily, the holiday season is around the corner, and it’s something to which I look forward. Looking up to something good lifts my spirits. I like how the holiday celebrations warm up my soul and brighten up my mood. It’s yet another reason for feeling grateful this year.

Thanksgiving happens to be my favorite holiday, and it’s the best time of the year for feeling grateful. Thanksgiving is just a couple of days away. There is no better time than Thanksgiving to practice gratitude.

I love the warm celebratory feel of Thanksgiving, just as I love family members gathering and sharing a home-cooked meal. Nothing is better than spread of joy and hearty laughter at a dinner table.

It’s time to practice gratitude

There’s so much chaos going around in the world that one thing we desperately need more than ever is gratitude. Gratitude is one of the old-fashioned remedies for lifting low spirits and feeling happier.

While the world is still rife with chaos and uncertainty, we can create a different world within ourselves. And we can do so with gratitude. By being grateful for what we have, we can bring out the positive aspects of our lives.

Studies show how being grateful for the little things can help us feel better about ourselves. Practicing gratitude can increase our well-being and help us see the brighter colors of our lives. No matter how hard the pandemic life has been, we can step out — at least for a moment — and savor the brightness.

Speaking of gratitude, I like to practice it every holiday season. Doing so not only helps me feel great about myself but also makes the holidays more special. And so, as we’re approaching Thanksgiving, I’ve prepared my short gratitude list:

• I’m grateful for my family and their health and well-being
• I’m grateful for an opportunity to sit down with my family and enjoy a home-cooked meal
• I’m grateful for having a roof over my head
• I’m grateful for having the ability to pursue my passion

How to feel grateful

Finding gratitude isn’t as hard as it seems — you just have to pay attention to the little things. It’s the little things around us that we usually take for granted.

When you start practicing gratitude, you’ll begin to appreciate your life even more. Life becomes more meaningful. It’s like savoring a delectable dish and enjoying every bite of it.

If you’re not used to expressing gratitude, it may take some mental work. But you can start by identifying one thing a day that you’re feeling grateful for, no matter how big or small it is. Maybe there’s a life event that has happened in your life. Or maybe you feel happy about the recent chain of events and how it affected your life. Or maybe you feel grateful for having the freedom to do whatever your heart desires.

Take a close look at your life and identify things that bring you joy. These are the things to feel grateful for. No matter how dark your life is right now or how miserable you feel, I’m sure you can point to something that helps you see the light amid the darkness.

There is gratitude in everything. We just don’t see it or choose not to pay attention to it. Once you start practicing gratitude, it’ll feel like a heavyweight has been lifted off your shoulders. You’ll begin to see fewer clouds and more sunshine.

Gratitude saved me during the pandemic

Practicing gratitude has helped me wither the storm throughout the pandemic. While the world was on pause, I remained calm by focusing on the positive aspects of my life.

It is through gratitude that I found my new passion for writing. And it is through gratitude that I recognized that while the world was ravaged by the pandemic, I still had my family. I had food, water, and shelter, and I was in good health. And finally, I feel grateful that I can express gratitude because that means I can write about gratitude in this story and share my words with others.

My wish for you this Thanksgiving is that you stay healthy, happy, and strong, and don’t forget to practice gratitude. Gratitude is what we need more than anything right now.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!