As we as a society move further and further away from the idea of Thanksgiving – I mean, people now call it Turkey Day – I figured I’d put some thoughts in about thankfulness and why it’s important. I think that generally we don’t allow ourselves to take the time to think about what’s important in life and to appreciate what we have. Today for me is serving as a reminder that every moment doesn’t need to be filled with stimulation, or productivity, or exercise. I don’t have to pull out my phone to check email when I am sitting at a red light. I can pause, and maybe even spend some time with my thoughts.
It’s easy to get caught up in the momentum of our daily lives, and let the flow of moving swiftly from one thing to another be a strong guiding force. In fact, I think that modern society often demands this – a kind of expectation that things will always be busy, and that things should be busy. But when we are always focused on where to get to next, and what else to do, or what we should be doing, a kind of tunnel vision can envelop us that cuts us off from the interesting, the novel, and the beauty inherent in so much of the world. I can certainly get lost in the momentum of things as well, and I want to make it a priority to give myself the chance to be productive and feel good about what I am accomplishing, but also to be able to just sometimes pause. Stop and know that not only is it ok to slow down for a bit, but that to stop, to experience the world, and to notice is healthy. It’s what we’re here for.
So even though we’re a couple days past Thanksgiving now, I’m thankful for the world, for the people that make it so interesting, for the wind that is blowing the yellow, red, and brown leaves off of the trees on my street. I’m thankful that every day I can, if I choose, find something novel and new to try, to see, or I can find new people to meet.
Alright, enjoy the rest of your weekends.
