Happy Thanksgiving
One of the things I’m grateful for in my life is that I feel part of a wonderful support community through this blog. While we don’t celebrate the day officially here in Ireland, I feel as if I am sharing in something of the spirit of the day thanks to all my American friends who are celebrating Thanksgiving today. So, as I think of you all out there, getting ready for Thanksgiving, tuning into all those things and people you cherish, preparing for rituals and celebrations, I will honour this special day by posting in the spirit of thanksgiving and gratitude.
A beautiful French proverb says that “gratitude is the heart’s memory”, and with that in mind, today is a day to remember… to remember those in our lives who walk along our path with us and show us support , friendship, love and kindness.
But, gratitude is not just about a nice warm fuzzy feeling you get, there may in fact be measurable, scientific benefits to this American tradition of giving thanks. One study showed that when participants were asked to find something to appreciate every day, they:
- Felt better about their lives
- Were more optimistic
- Were more energetic
- Were more enthusiastic
- Were more determined
- Were more joyful
- Exercised more
- Had fewer illnesses
- Got more sleep.
- Were more likely to have helped someone else
That should be reason enough to shift our perspective. Who and what are you grateful for today? Make a list each day and add to it. Often it is the greatest blessings in our lives that we take for granted, like our health or our families.
So today, let’s give thanks for all that is good in our lives, remembering as Meister Eckhart wrote that “If the only prayer you say in your life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice”.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you xxx
What a wonderful post. Thank you. Xx
LikeLike
Marie,
I am thankful that I stumbled upon your blog in April. The combination of your beautiful, meaningful writing for each day of Health Activist Writers Month and your Friday Round Ups of other bloggers’ amazing posts meant a great deal to me and opened up a whole new virtual social community–as I had just hit a ‘now what?’ stage in my breast cancer journey. You have been very inspirational to me. Thank you.
JoAnn
LikeLike
JoAnn thank you so much for your kind words. It is wonderful to discover a new blogger in our midst and I do hope you will stop by often and let us know what is happening in your life. Warmest Wishes, Marie
LikeLike
Happy Thanksgiving Marie. I am grateful for friends like you who genuinely are about other folks.
I am grateful that though sometimes I want to smack my husband upside the head and shake him, that he hangs in there with me when I’m a screaming loony.
I am grateful for my daughter and will be even more so if her doc gets her Lyme under control. I am grateful for the man she found who is the only person who just may love her as much as me though in a different way.
Thinking of you especially this week Marie, as I know this will be a difficult one for you.
xxoo
Rachel
LikeLike
And I am grateful that this year I got to meet YOU in person Rachel 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Marie,
That’s so sweet of you you join with your American friends to embrace the joy of Thanksgiving and the way it represents things that we are thankful for. I am also thankful that I have met you through your blog and all of this social media. Have a great weekend as we take this holiday and usually let it last through the weekend as we spend time with the family. What I love so much about this holiday in America is that because it is an “American Tradition”, everyone of all religions celebrates the holiday. There s so much to be grateful for! As we say here, Happy Turkey Day!
LikeLike
Oh that’s an aspect I didn’t think of Susan – about it being a non denominational celebration. I love it even more now that I realize that 😉
LikeLike
A warm, open-hearted blog.
LikeLike
Thank you so much Derbhile for your kind words
LikeLike
Thanks Marie. Meeting you was a highlight of my year and one of the best parts of the event [though getting to say Siemen’s flew me to London is also nice – kind of gives us a little more validation, don’t you think? :)]
LikeLike
Oh yes Rachel 🙂
LikeLike
oh, marie,
what a beautiful heart you have. i so appreciate your words, so heartfelt and heart warming, as you express honoring our thanksgiving holiday. i adore the french proverb, “gratitude is the heart’s memory”. it has such profound meaning to me.
at first, i was shy (scared) about exposing hugh’s and my story, about dipping my toes into finding out more about BC activism, about all the issues of ST IV metastatic BC., and much more. but something compelled me, something that was relentless – i have no name for it. but “it” knew exactly what i needed and propelled me into the world of BC blogs, and i found my niche as TC, the commentor. it’s my chance to become informed, empowered, inspired and to “give back” , albeit in a very small way, while i deal with the aftermath of treatment and the ravages of chemobrain, to say nothing of dual cancer calendars.
though i can’t remember much from day to day, have great struggles to find words, walk into rooms and utter expletives, wondering why i came down 2 flights of stairs to – what???, and it’s frustrating, maddening, scary and difficult – i know with all my being that my HEART remembers.
it remembers being welcomed to the BC community with open arms, it remembers every cyber hug, kiss, response of encouragement, kindness and love. it remembers all our days through double-dealt incurable cancer, and being knocked-down-stupid to our knees in our darkest hours when a simple smile, a caring touch, an unexpected, random act of kindness, or words spoken or written with love uplifted us.
so, maybe my mind has betrayed me, left my brain a mushy, useless dish of pudding on some (most) days. but i am grateful with outrageously, unabashed joy that my HEART is the keeper of my fondest and most cherished memories, and that it remembers to remind me of how important it is to feel and to live and to share, to listen and be receptive and responsive.
thank you, marie for this most inspirational post. your generosity of spirit and obvious desire to be present for others is such a beautiful gift. from my heart to yours – i remember!
love, XOXO,
karen, TC
LikeLike
My goodness Karen, your beautiful comment is worthy of an entire blog to itself! Thank you so much for sharing your inspirational words with us all. We hope to see lots more of you here on JBBC. Marie xxxx
LikeLike
Happy belated Thanksgiving. I do think of blessings every day and never lack for them. Having such caring blogging friends is definitely one of those that top the list. Xx
LikeLike