Tis the Season for Gratitude

A few years ago my sister hosted thanksgiving and had us list the things we were grateful for. In fact she had us draw pictures of the things we were thankful for and we displayed the pictures around the room while we ate.  My toddler was thankful for toy cars, my mother was thankful for family and someone was thankful for the earth. I have no idea what I mentioned.

I find it interesting the number of stories I have read about gratitude this year.  This morning I was reading an article in USA Today talking about how people are cutting back, but not feeling deprived.  They are realizing they went to excess in the past and have self corrected.  Even those who have lost jobs and been forced to drastically change their life styles seem able to find a silver lining to their cloud.

In times of economic change, and especially economic downturn, we find people reevaluating their circumstances and discarding the unimportant, the trivial and the frivolous.  They embrace the important parts of their life and enjoy what they do have a little more.

I hope you have the chance to enjoy a few traditions this year.  Cherish the memories you make and be thankful for the loved ones you hold dear.  May the silver lining to this economic correction be a return to values and principles and a reminder of the important aspects of life.

Happy Thanksgiving!