The tradition known as Thanksgiving started in 1621 as a feast shared together by the Wampanoag people and the Plymouth colonists (Pilgrims).
All these years later, the long standing tradition of Thanksgiving continues. A tradition of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the past year.
Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday. There are no gifts or presents exchanged. No fictional holiday characters.
Just a time to reflect on all you’re thankful for. It’s about being thankful for all our friends, family, employees and co-workers who are in our lives. It’s about being thankful for our health. It’s about being thankful for the food we’re able eat. It’s about being thankful for the ability to watch the football games and read this post.
Thanksgiving is used as a reminder to be thankful for all that we overlook and take for granted each day.
Too many times throughout the year we’ve focused on what’s wrong or what we don’t have. It’s not about what you don’t have, it’s about what you already have. Instead of being envious, be grateful. Don’t amplify the mistakes, failures and losses. Don’t dwell on the misses. Be thankful for what you have in your life.
Every year I take time over Thanksgiving to scroll through all the photos in my phone. It relives all the happy and funny memories that I’ve shared with my family and friends. You’ll smile the whole time.
I also take this time to reach out to people that I have not talked to in a while. I call, stop by, text or write letters to people who have had an impact in my life. Reach out to family, mentors, teachers, old co-workers, long time friends that you’ve lost touch with and any others just to say hello.
I’m a sports fan and the sad ending to the Shaquille O’ Neal and Kobe Bryant rift always sticks in the back of my mind. After Kobe’s passing in a helicopter crash, Shaq said the following about regrets to things left unsaid.
I’ll never get to see Kobe again, in real life, forever. And I just should have called. He should have called. We both should have called…Call your mom. Call your brother. Call the homeboy you used to party with in college. Forever is a long time.
This Thanksgiving don’t leave things left unsaid. Say thank you. Say I’m sorry. Say whatever it is you’ve been meaning to say.
Be grateful and show your gratefulness to others. Give thanks and show your thankfulness to others.
Now go eat a lot. Have seconds and thirds. Enjoy the leftovers. You have all year to burn it off.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
The Coffee Table ☕
My friend Michael Antonelli wrote a nice recap on what he’s learned this year on his blog Bull & Baird entitled Lessons From 2022.
Monevator had an interesting piece called Rich friends, poor friends. It’s a reminder that having rich friends may make you richer but don’t count on that making you any happier.
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