Many people are finding it difficult to conjure up reasons to be thankful this Thanksgiving, myself included. With the condition of the country and the world seeming to deteriorate before our very eyes, being thankful is the last thing on our minds.
Are you in this group? If so you need to look around you and see how much you actually have.
I don’t mean money. I mean if you have family and friends, you are blessed. If you have a roof over your head and food to eat, even if it is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you are fortunate. Look up at the beautiful sky and around at our colorful, fantastic planet and all its creatures and be grateful to be alive.
Your joints may be aching, but you can still walk even if you need a cane or walker. Your eyes may not see as well as they used to, but you can still see the beauty around you, read a book or watch television. If you can’t see, you can hear the birds chirping, children laughing and your loved ones chatting. Your brain and mouth still work and you can talk so again you are blessed.
Before you sit down to your turkey dinner please take some time to fill a bag with food and give it to a food bank. We give a big box every month. No, we are not rich but when we go to Save A Lot we buy extra sale items and put in the box. We go to Big Lots every weekend for ourselves and again we get sale items of canned and boxed foods for our donation box. Being a member of the Buzz Club with them we get 20% off our items (you can too, all you do is fill out a form for a card). When the regular grocery store has a buy one get one free sale on something you were going to buy anyway give the free one to the donation box.
Go through your pantry and cupboards and I know you will find extras you can add to the donation. More and more people every day come to the food banks for help to feed their families. They so need your help and helping them makes you feel good, too.
Volunteer to help those less fortunate -- help your neighbor -- or just be aware of the forgotten who roam our streets daily in the shadows, hungry and lost. Try to find ways you can help those who have so much less than you.
If you make an effort for someone else you will find so many things you are thankful for it might take all day to name them. Don't forget to say a little prayer for our armed forces in harm’s way and pray for the world to come together in peace and harmony.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone...