Oh, it's that time of year.... The time where you eat yourself stupid and watch football. I can't think of a better time of year quite honestly. I love Thanksgiving, always have. It's far and away my favorite holiday and I'm not quite sure why. I'm sure it has something to do with the traditions of the day. Waking up Thanksgiving morning and the whole house smells of turkey. Mom in the kitchen at 4:30 in the morning getting things going. Dad making his stuffing. Trying not to eat a big breakfast so that you can be ready for dinner and lunch is out of the question... People start filtering in around 1-2pm and by 3 the house is full, it smells amazing and football is on.The guys all in the living room (or backroom in the old house) watching the Lions play whoever they're playing that year. And then, it's go time.. Dinner is called and you load your plate with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy. Then the various sides and you're set.. Football, good food, family, what more could you want??
The real reason of Thanksgiving is to be thankful for what you have.. An idea that is easily lost in the fray of life. I know that I certainly am one of the guilty ones. In today's society it's far easier to think about what you don't have, what you wish you had, and what you want than it is to stop and see what you have before you..
We have money issues, we have issues of making ends meet, there are personal struggles with stress, depression and anxiety over bills, loss of loved ones, sickness loved ones are going through, they're all very real, very scary things. And they're legitimate reasons to feel the way one does sometimes. But at the end of the day you still have so much to be thankful for. It's ok to be scared and to worry sometimes as long as you don't let it consume you. Same with stress and anxiety. Don't let what you can't control, control you... Don't worry about what you cannot change. It's times like this that remind me of the Serenity Prayer. For those of you who may not know what that is I'll post it here..
It's an amazing prayer and an interesting way I came across it. I got it from an AL-ANON book. I was never in AL-ANON but I came across a book for recovering alcoholics and how to live one day at a time and it took you day by day and gave you something to pray for, something good to look for, something to hold on to during that journey. And The Serenity Prayer is the main prayer throughout the book.
I know there are times when life looks bleak and you have a hard time seeing that light at the end of the tunnel. I've been there. There have been nights of little to hardly any sleep due to stress. And I'm far from perfect as there are times I still feel it creeping up on me and trying to settle in. But I have come a long way in that I remember things like The Serenity Prayer and praying in general. I remember to live for today, to enjoy today for what it is and what you have.
It's my family, it's coming home to two little twin monsters who react as if I'd been gone for years when I walk through that door. It's spending time with my 7 yr old playing video games or even getting down on the floor and drawing with him or coloring. It's sitting with Jill and just talking or watching the boys play as we talk. It's even something simple as watching a favorite movie when the house is quiet. These are the things that get me through it all. Life is hard, and sometimes life can hurt. But when you have a family like I do as much as life can hurt me, it will never beat me. It will knock me down from time to time but for them I will keep getting right back up.
But it even goes beyond family. I look around me and am so grateful. I have my home we just bought last year. We both have jobs that in this time and economy is in itself a miracle. We both have cars and food in the fridge. And we both have an amazing supporting cast of family and friends that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. It's easy to see what I don't have, what I want to have, what I wish I had. But realizing what I really do have is an amazing thing. I'm pretty lucky...
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Take a few minutes to stop and think about what you truly have in your life. Look around you, life isn't so bad...
Til next time... Take care of yourselves and be safe out there.
Rob
The real reason of Thanksgiving is to be thankful for what you have.. An idea that is easily lost in the fray of life. I know that I certainly am one of the guilty ones. In today's society it's far easier to think about what you don't have, what you wish you had, and what you want than it is to stop and see what you have before you..
We have money issues, we have issues of making ends meet, there are personal struggles with stress, depression and anxiety over bills, loss of loved ones, sickness loved ones are going through, they're all very real, very scary things. And they're legitimate reasons to feel the way one does sometimes. But at the end of the day you still have so much to be thankful for. It's ok to be scared and to worry sometimes as long as you don't let it consume you. Same with stress and anxiety. Don't let what you can't control, control you... Don't worry about what you cannot change. It's times like this that remind me of the Serenity Prayer. For those of you who may not know what that is I'll post it here..
The Serenity Prayer | |
 | God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen. --Reinhold Niebuhr |
It's an amazing prayer and an interesting way I came across it. I got it from an AL-ANON book. I was never in AL-ANON but I came across a book for recovering alcoholics and how to live one day at a time and it took you day by day and gave you something to pray for, something good to look for, something to hold on to during that journey. And The Serenity Prayer is the main prayer throughout the book.
I know there are times when life looks bleak and you have a hard time seeing that light at the end of the tunnel. I've been there. There have been nights of little to hardly any sleep due to stress. And I'm far from perfect as there are times I still feel it creeping up on me and trying to settle in. But I have come a long way in that I remember things like The Serenity Prayer and praying in general. I remember to live for today, to enjoy today for what it is and what you have.
It's my family, it's coming home to two little twin monsters who react as if I'd been gone for years when I walk through that door. It's spending time with my 7 yr old playing video games or even getting down on the floor and drawing with him or coloring. It's sitting with Jill and just talking or watching the boys play as we talk. It's even something simple as watching a favorite movie when the house is quiet. These are the things that get me through it all. Life is hard, and sometimes life can hurt. But when you have a family like I do as much as life can hurt me, it will never beat me. It will knock me down from time to time but for them I will keep getting right back up.
But it even goes beyond family. I look around me and am so grateful. I have my home we just bought last year. We both have jobs that in this time and economy is in itself a miracle. We both have cars and food in the fridge. And we both have an amazing supporting cast of family and friends that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. It's easy to see what I don't have, what I want to have, what I wish I had. But realizing what I really do have is an amazing thing. I'm pretty lucky...
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Take a few minutes to stop and think about what you truly have in your life. Look around you, life isn't so bad...
Til next time... Take care of yourselves and be safe out there.
Rob
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