With Gratitude.....

At Mom and Dad's Thanksgiving 2007

My favorite day of the year is Thanksgiving. I love all things Thanksgiving. From the pie, the sweet potatoes, our family stuffing, the Macy's Day parade....the list could go on.

I truly love the process of thanks - and being thankful. Two days before my son was born, my mom and I saw Oprah Winfrey and Maya Angelou speak at a conference in Boston. They were in these beautiful outfits in this "living room" setting. We, the audience, were like flies on the wall of their conversation. I carry so many of their comments with me. Today, I am mindful of one of those points. Maya (I say it like I know her) spoke of giving thanks - even when it is not a situation that you would normally give thanks to. Are you having a hard day, are you in a tough situation, are you stressed out, are you having health problems - give thanks. Pause and give thanks. Be thankful that you have this experience to learn from, to live with, to grow from.

Today, I can think of a few things that I might not normally say thanks to. I will be pausing and giving them their due time. I am sure we all have a few - and that is not lost on me. We are all faced with challenges that test us - but they ultimately -make us who we are.

Today I will also be pausing, like I do every day, to give thanks for all that is bigger than me. My family, my parents, my doctor, my home...I am blessed more than I can even imagine. My thanks for the journey that I am lucky enough to share with so many I love.