Nice concept Thanksgiving. Feasting, football games, floats, family reunions, four day weekends…a forerunner for Christmas. Thanksgiving has undergone numerous transitions since that small group of Pilgrims disembarked the Mayflower in Plymouth Rock way back in 1620 and went on to celebrate a bountiful harvest thanks to support provided by the Indians through a long and bitter winter. Despite this, the premise remains the same. Gratitude.

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Today, over a refreshing Pimms or two and a particularly juicy steak with a couple of dear friends, we got to talking about how fragile life is as we worry for friends dealing with cancer; how fleeting love is for others struggling with relationships; how lonely life can be without that love to take for granted; the world at large as we face a war on terrorism; the challenges of survival for the war torn. Reality check. Our personal problems so ‘first world’ in comparison.

Got me thinking about gratitude. Made a list. Reduced it to top 50. A small but effective way to give thanks for all life has to offer. Thanksgiving indeed. Here’s a starter pack for you…

50 things to be thankful for:

  1. Your health the one thing that you should never take for granted
  2. Family – warts and all
  3. Your loved one – never to be taken for granted
  4. Scented candles
  5. Dark Chocolate
  6. Online shopping – oh yes indeed
  7. Books
  8. Good quality coffee from your favourite Barista
  9. Freshly baked bread
  10. Rainy days – especially when you can cosy up under the doona
  11. Running water and electricity – something we can so easily take for granted
  12. Waking up at 4.00am and realizing that you still have a couple of hours of sleep left
  13. Soft pillows and a snuggly bed after a long, tough day
  14. Wine
  15. Your besties – the ones who are always there for you
  16. Deep hugs
  17. Spotify for streaming all your favourite music
  18. Fresh sheets on Sunday nights
  19. A stranger’s smile
  20. Beautiful sunsets
  21. Squeaky sand
  22. Snuggly sweaters
  23. Pinterest and Instagram for visual feasting
  24. Apple TV for movie and Netflix marathons
  25. Avocado on toast
  26. Driving on a sunny day with the roof down
  27. Skipping the waves on a beach side stroll
  28. Breathing crisp fresh air in the mountains
  29. Bubble baths – boys love ’em too
  30. Your past- because it taught you so much
  31. Old photographs
  32. Finding a parking spot right away
  33. Being able to help others
  34. Good hair days
  35. Feeling loved and giving love
  36. Uncontrollable laughter – the kind that makes your stomach hurt
  37. Dancing to ‘Up Town Funk’ around your house
  38. A good pair of jeans – the ones that make your butt look really good!
  39. Baby chuckles
  40. Peanut butter straight off the spoon
  41. Comfy pajamas
  42. Good, long conversations
  43. Blogs
  44. Your home – your little haven
  45. Childhood memories
  46. Art – all kinds of art – the silly stuff the impressive stuff – all of it
  47. Rainbows – don’t they always make you smile?
  48. The moon and the stars
  49. Bad days – because they make you appreciate the good ones that much more.
  50. Sunday mornings
  51. Bonus! Your future – all the things you have yet to learn, all the places you have yet to discover

Anything you’d add to this list? What’s a small, “everyday” thing that you feel really thankful for?

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1 Comment on Stuff the Turkey…but let’s give thanks

  1. Jane Davies
    December 1, 2015 at 7:10 am (8 years ago)

    Waking every day and my friends! xxx