Baumgardner: Practicing the art of being thankful

Four days from today, many will be gathering with loved ones to celebrate Thanksgiving. You know, it's the holiday between Halloween and Christmas that gets lost in the pre-Christmas shopping frenzy.

It's kind of interesting that the holiday originally designated as a day when all could take time out to give thanks for their many blessings has been high-jacked by the retail industry. Who has time to give thanks much less eat turkey when stores are open and fantastic sales are happening?

Have we become a nation that has forgotten how to give thanks? Has consumerism created a culture of discontent so much so that people take for granted what they have and constantly feel the need for more to fill a weird kind of emptiness that is never satisfied?

There is a saying: Discontent breeds discontent. Discontentment can lead to bitterness, resentment and an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. Perhaps this year for Thanksgiving, people might consider tuning out the enticing commercials and perpetual online ads focused on what you don't have to practice the art of being thankful.

  • Do you have a roof over your head?
  • Do you have food on your table?
  • Do you have at least one person in your life who loves you unconditionally?
  • Have you had the opportunity to give to others in the last year?
  • Has anybody unexpectedly done something kind for you?

If you have had any of these most basic things, you are blessed. Recognizing those things for which you are thankful has the potential to give you and those around you a whole new outlook on life.

What does practicing the art of being thankful look like?

  • Write a thank-you note to someone who has impacted your life.
  • Serve others. Something beautiful happens inside when the focus is taken off self and placed on serving others. Everybody can do something.
  • Stop focusing on what you don't have and appreciate what has been given to you. Make a list of all the things for which you can be thankful. The length of your list might surprise you.
  • Encourage someone. There are many who have been told over and over again they are of no value. Everyone has value. You never know when a word of encouragement could be life changing for someone.
  • Show kindness. It doesn't cost a dime and it's contagious. A warm smile. A hug. Offering a helping hand.

Give hope. A timely conversation over coffee, a phone call, an email or text message could offer the hope someone needs to keep their chin up and recognize that this too shall pass.

Sir John Templeton once said, "When we will our minds with blessings and gratitude, an inner shift in consciousness can occur. As we focus on the abundance in our lives, rather than what we lack, a wonderful blueprint for the future begins to emerge."

This Thanksgiving, may we be a people filled with gratitude and practice the art of being thankful.

Julie Baumgardner is president and CEO of First Things First. Contact her at julieb@firstthings.org.

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