On being grateful
(This card features the Creative Expressions ‘medallion’ stamp: Squarely Squash.)
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Towards the end of her four months in Italy where she has committed wholeheartedly to the ‘Eat’ part of her book Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert describes the American Thanksgiving custom of ‘joining hands and – each in turn – saying what we are most grateful for.’
Living in Britain, where Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated, my previous impression of the event was of a cross between our British Harvest Festival – giving thanks for good things from the land – and Christmas – a big family get-together around the dinner table with a Turkey. This new idea put a whole new perspective on it all, and one that I liked.
So this year I’ve asked my family members to spend a little time thinking about what they are most grateful for, so that we can share it all after dinner. Already, I get the impression that what would make my younger son most grateful is not having to do this!
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Wishing a Very Happy Thanksgiving
to my friends and readers in the United States.
Thank you 
Merci beaucoup 
Thank you 
Hahahahahahaha….your younger son kind of resembles me. I like to thank but not very openly. I cannot be very vocal.
Happy Thanksgiving or rather Happy harvest. I am grateful to the blog land to have found you.
It’s always valuable to try and feel gratitude every single day. Love this card!
Good idea, Janice!
I’m grateful to the fact I have a job I love in a country in a deep crisis. I’m grateful because I have a sucessfull daughter and a husband who loves me, I’m grateful because I have my parents (over 80 years old) living by themselves and not far from me. I’m grateful to have known persons like you.
I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful dinner, kisses .
Thank you Helena. I do believe that if we focus on happiness and thankfulness we will be happier and more grateful. In times like these, where everything is getting more expensive and countries are in financial crisis (which we can do nothing about) something we can do is look for happiness in the little but important things – exactly those things you’ve picked out in your own life.
i am thankful for so many things. i love thanksgiving because i get to spend the day with good friends and if i’m lucky family and share a good meal and just enjoy the whole thing. it’s good to focus on what i am thankful for- which becomes such a long list that i am reminded how lucky i am. tho we don’t do the go around the table & say what you’re thankful for thing, i have become much more aware of giving thanks in recent years. good practice to follow, i think.
Thanks Marianne. And anyone else reading this – you will love
Marianne’s Thanksgiving post – bursting with art, love, friendship and family.
Hi, Janice. Just happened upon your lovely blog. Enjoyed your photos and your abstract cross-stitch project is beautiful. And I’m grateful for blogs–windows on the world.
best from Tunisia,
nadia
Your idea of thanks giving is good! Lovely card you’ve there with all the details!
I think it can be very hard to pick out things to be grateful for, especially on the spur of the moment – maybe your youngest son should be grateful that you’ve given warning that this is what you want to do!
I like the holiday so much more when we focus more on the gratitude and less on the food. I hope your son wasn’t too upset with you!
Thank you everyone. We do indeed have much to be thankful for – however hard it can seem in these times of economic recession and unrest. As for my son, he was particularly thankful when the whole ordeal was over!