November 2015 archive

The Gifts of Gratitude

| Thanksgiving

Yes, thereā€™s the turkey and the stuffing and the pies (oh the pies!)ā€¦but really, my favorite part of Thanksgiving is the time I get to spend with the lovely, precious people in my life.

My husband and I are both from Atlanta, Georgia and we travel down south every November to spend a full week with our families for Thanksgiving. Itā€™s such a nostalgic time for me. The smells, sounds, and tastes transport me to my childhood and the memories of growing up in such a supportive and loving world.

As my kids grow and my role as mom continues to change, itā€™s begun to dawn on me that the requisite ā€œwhat do you say?ā€ question posed to them after receiving a gift or a treat is not quite enough to teach gratitude. Gratitude is also about being appreciative of love and kindness and supportā€”and looking up from a digital device to the pupils of someoneā€™s eyes to say Thank You.

So as the month of November begins, I feel reflective about those people in my life that have guided me, helped me, loved me and supported me. I remembered this game I used to play at the start of camp when we would toss a ball of yarn across a circle to create a web of friendship. Our counselors wanted us to notice that we were all connected and one action in the web led to a reaction on the other side. We would then snip a piece of string from the web and wear it as a bracelet for the duration of camp to remember that connection. And while my arm is not stacked with strings for all of the people in my life that have made a difference, I am grateful for them.

American Greetings has launched the #thanklist campaignā€¦itā€™s like a bucket list of people you want to express gratitude towards for helping to shape your life, taking a step towards a world thatā€™s just a little bit nicer.

Join theĀ #thanklistĀ conversation by posting a show of gratitude forĀ someone who has shaped your lifeĀ on Facebook,Ā Twitter, or Instagram with #ThankList.Ā For every #ThankList created on social media channels, American Greetings will donate $1 to United Way for hunger prevention.

This post was sponsored by American Greetings.

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