It’s almost time for Thanksgiving, our traditional time for musing over the things we are thankful for. New Year’s also seems like a perfect time for counting our blessings. What things am I grateful for, what things are WE as a generation grateful for. (What things in the New Year do we want to change? This leads us into making New Year’s resolutions, a topic for another day.)
Throughout history people have come together to praise God for all of our blessings, especially when the harvest comes in and the prospects of surviving the coming season of cold and darkness look good.
When I was a young minister’s wife living in a small town on the plains of Eastern Colorado, I loved that members brought in sheaves of wheat from their own fields to decorate the altar. Remember the song, “Bringing in the Sheaves?” “We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.”
Years later I had a neighbor in Salt Lake City that observed the Jewish harvest holiday of Succoth, celebrating by dining in outdoor temporary shelters. Betsy incorporated her grapevines into her Succoth booth.
For my own Thanksgiving celebration this year I have two small wicker cornucopias, one with small gourds and the other with silk sunflowers. And let’s not forget the feasting! I’m looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with my daughter and her family–I’m taking the pies! Over dessert each person offers one thing they are grateful for. I’m especially interested in what the children have to say.
It makes me think of the old movie “White Christmas,” with Bing Crosby, who sings a lullaby, “Count Your Many Blessings.” Remember that? “When you’re worried and you can’t sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep, and you’ll fall asleep, counting your blessings.” It is a sweet way to fall asleep, rather than worrying.
Part of celebrating life is to be present to the things we are grateful for, even when we don’t feel like it. It’s easy to forget we have blessings when things are not going well.
There was a period in my life when I was in pain from my arthritis to the extent that my doctor sent me to the Kaiser pain management program. One technique they recommended was based on studies that showed being present to gratitude for 15 minutes three times a week would help control pain. Exactly 15 minutes, three times a week. Instead of tears and pain, I’m committed to living a life of celebration and joy. I’m committed to loving life. To everyone loving life. A life full of blessings is hard to beat. So I sat down three times a week, set a timer, and wrote out what was on the tip of my tongue to be grateful for that day. Some days I was crabby and didn’t want to be grateful, but I kept writing anyway. After a year or so I found I no longer had that daily, excruciating pain in my hands.
Once you are committed to writing about your blessings, you notice others being grateful. Several friends of mine post photos in Facebook every November, one photo a day, of something they are grateful for. Another friend mentions three things every day year-round, which I love. I read her post and I think, “Oh, I’m grateful for that, too!”
In the lobby of my apartment building there is a tree pasted to the wall on which the residents have written on the leaves something we are grateful for. My leaf expresses my appreciation for computers, cell phones, and Zoom, especially Zoom during the pandemic! None of those existed when I was a child. We would have considered them not just blessings but miracles!
This week I listened to a writer and podcaster named Neil Pasricha, who brought himself out of a deep depression partially by blogging every day for a year about at least one thing he was grateful for. He counted up to a thousand during that year and published a book (and quit being depressed..) Neil has a new book coming out in December, which I’ve ordered. Happily, the book is available through Audible as well. It is called, “Our Book of Awesome,” with reminders of things that bring--not just the writer but all of us--joy.
In my daily prayers, I especially like to thank God for joys, miracles and answered prayers. If you feel like sharing your blessings with me, comment below or friend me on This Boomer Life on Facebook. I’m praying that you celebrate a happy Thanksgiving with pumpkin pie, friends and family, and a cornucopia of blessings!
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Catch my new podcast This Boomer Life on Mondays for Michele’s Monday Morning Musings and on Thursdays for The Interview. I'll be interviewing a friend or ally who is a Boomer or who is committed to us Baby Boomers and those who love us! This Boomer Life launches on January 5 in the New Year! Welcome to living a life you love, a life thatt matters!