A Thankful Heart Is A Happy Heart

Thankfulness is being grateful for what we have. 

Its an attitude of gratitude for learning, loving and being. 

Appreciate the little things that happen around you and within you everyday. 

Think positively. 

Thankfulness brings contentment 

~ The Virtues Project

Every year on thanksgiving my family plays a game. Early in the day the kids decorate a box or bin and then before dinner everyone is given a slip of paper that says This year I am thankful for___________, once everyone's filled out their card it gets put in the box. Once gathered around the table the box is passed from person to person and one by one the cards are read aloud... I guess its kind of like our form of saying grace.

I started this tradition the year that Nick was born because I wanted my children to grow up being thankful for what they had and I wanted them to have to occasionally stop and think... really think about how lucky they we all really are. The politically correct answer always is This year I am thankful for my family but occasionally we get some original ones.

This will be the first year in 15 years that we wont be playing the game. 

I cant.... I dont know what to write. Watching your child fight for their life is a horrible thing but the one positive thing that it provides is a renewed and exaggerated sense of thankfulness.

This year I am thankful for more then could ever be written on a post it note and I dont think that I could pick just one thing. I also dont think that a turkey basted with tears is going to be tasty.

Its so easy to complain and live in the negative, to function each day with a pessimistic attitude - That was me, I lived my life like that but I dont anymore.

Imagine living your life truly seeing the positives, the good things that each day provides in addition to all the not so wonderful parts. Of course I appreciate all of the obvious super fantastic things in my life like the love of my amazing family, the unbreakable strength of my marriage, Maxwell finally getting his tubes put in, Dom's benefits which provide the medication that Nick needs, Kurt and Riddick making developmental gains, My Aunt Bonnie finally being on the mend, my Dad making himself a daily part of my life after many years of distance (him telling me that he was proud of me after the Relay for life is something that I will never forget so thank you to whoever taught him how to text) and of course last but not least the fact that Nick is a fighter and is kicking cancer's ass!

But as important as those BIG appreciations are I now find myself thankful when I get to drink my coffee hot, when I can finally see my laundry room floor, when I find a letter mixed in with the bills in the mailbox, when there is a parking spot at the hospital that doesnt require intense focus to get into. When I find a great sale or a pair of jeans that make my butt look great. My days may be filled with some things that I'd rather not deal with but they are also filled with lovely things that I'm sure have always been there but I just havent noticed.

This Thanksgiving be thankful for your family and friends.... be thankful for them EVERYDAY but also be thankful for all of the many things that form the silver lining to your otherwise gray cloud. When you feel what real thankfulness is you will never look back - its almost euphoric.

 My boys have always liked the Veggie Tales movies and each of them seem to have always chosen Madam Blueberry as their favorite... the moral of her singing story is that  A thankful heart is a happy heart  - I believe that no truer words have been spoken.