Thanksgiving Homecoming

Posted on November 23, 2016

Here we are again—it’s Thanksgiving already. This holiday always seems to usher in the holiday season. Once we’ve had that Thanksgiving meal, it’s go, go, go. We are all familiar with the dichotomy of December: celebrating the season, enjoying the festivities and the beauty of the lights, cherishing the time off—all while running around checking off our holiday shopping lists, dragging our out-of-school kids behind us, skipping meals, eating out, running on empty. Thanksgiving is the kickoff to the madness that follows until the New Year.

Typically, we start out by wishing everybody whose path we cross a Happy Thanksgiving, along with a “good bye,” “see you later,” and “take care.” Last week, every email I sent or each person I connected with—those I knew I wasn’t going to see until after the Thanksgiving—received a wish from me: Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. I even reached out by phone to a few new connections and friends I made this year to express my gratitude for meeting and working with them.

This morning, in my morning quiet time, I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and thanked my universe of friends. I actually visualized friends across the globe and sent them a “thank you” vibe with a big smile. Then I silently thanked all the wonderful people who have championed my cause—friends who have helped support and propel my mission and vision at Tools of Growth. Moving inward, my attention and awareness were drawn to my extended family, and I sent gratitude out to my parents, my mother-in-law, my siblings, my in-law siblings, my nieces, and my nephews. Really close to my heart, I saw the faces of my darling husband and my precious children and reflected on how blessed I am to have these beautiful partners to share my life with. Along with the joys of simply being around them, laughing, joking, and teasing, I treasure and am grateful for the growth and learning that comes from the challenges we face together. I am humbled by the communication that we display every single day. We yank, we pull, we argue, we step on each other’s toes and invade each other’s space. We call each other out and, yes, sometimes we yell and scream… just as we apologize sincerely, love deeply, respect wholeheartedly, show up consistently, share profoundly, connect greatly, and give each other heart-to-heart hugs. The swell of gratitude in my heart made me smile and even giggle.

And then came the silence. Complete silence. Having virtually traveled around the globe, I was back home—in my body, with my heart and my self. Why had I never thought of thanking myself on this day? So I did. As I have learned in meditation, I started from my toes and went all the way up to the crown of my head. I thanked the temple of my body that houses all the complicated “systems” that I do not see but only feel the workings of. I moved to feeling gratitude for the emotions, intellect, wisdom, knowledge, power, and energy that is contained and emitted simultaneously from the intelligence of this body. I shyly admired my strengths of kindness, empathy, compassion, service, and hard work while thanking my weaknesses of pleasing others, internally aiming for perfection—getting it all done and getting it all right and not knowing when to stop or pause. It is through these weaknesses that I continue to grow, learn, and become a better version of myself. I thanked my ego for always keeping me in check. I reflected upon the light that shines within me and through me—the one that we all have, each slightly different and yet the same. Truly this life that we all lead on planet earth is worth being grateful for. As I felt this swell of gratitude, I heard a bird chirping nearby. I opened my eyes, and it flew away, but I saw a lovely green tree in front of me. I looked at the blue sky and felt the crisp morning air, and I felt nurtured by the beautiful nature that surrounds me. We all have much to be grateful for, and we are never alone.

So while you’re out there wishing a Happy Thanksgiving to your community, your co-workers, your network of friends, and your immediate family, remember to return home—to your self. This is the starting point and the end point of who we are and all we do. And take a moment to thank this beautifully abundant nature—water, air, energy, the earth and its planets— that keeps us alive.

As you take yourself through this gratitude practice, share with your children how it made you feel. Talk to them about the importance of each of us reconnecting with and feeling gratitude for ourselves. I promise you, they will be inspired to try it as well. There is no bigger gift we can give our kids, one that will help grow their self-love and self-respect, which will translate into increased self-worth and self-confidence. Be sure to record their feelings of self-discovery and gratitude. It will make for great memories down the road.

From our TOG family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving! We are grateful for your love and support through the year.