Next Thursday we’ll gather with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. For some, this is an almost overlooked holiday in order to move on to Christmas. In retail, the Halloween displays were quickly replaced by loads of goods for Christmas, with the scant offerings for Thanksgiving edged out, and “I’m dreaming of a White Christmas” playing in the background.

I’m not one of the holiday enthusiasts who puts up her tree before Thanksgiving. I’d like to see more emphasis on this time because it serves us better throughout the year, when it’s not the busy holiday season. Over recent years, a lot has been written and popularized about the importance of gratitude to our state of being.

Recently I came across the word “dwell” and it struck a cord with me. I looked up the word, wanting to reconsider all the meaning. One of the definitions, “to continue in a given condition or state” and the synonym “abide” stood out for me, as did the opposite or antonym, “hurry.” To dwell in the state of Thankfulness, the season of Thanks Giving is opposite of rushing to Christmas or to the next thing.

I’ve thought about my own practice of being grateful and while I see ways that it’s improved over time, there have been times where I let this go, feeling resentment instead of gratitude. Yesterday marked the four year anniversary of my divorce. I can tell you that when I was going through the acute phase of separation and my life being upturned, I was mostly filled with confusion, anger, and hurt. My Christian faith was definitely challenged, my main focus was “Why did this happen to me?” “Why are others still happily married and this happened to us after forty years?” Of course I know that many who are still married are not necessarily happy, but still, when you’re feeling sorry for yourself it’s an all or none proposition; they’re all happy and I’m not.

I was resistant to the advice of the Bible verse in I Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all situations” and thought it surely didn’t apply in my situation. How could I be thankful for my life being turned upside down, my family changed, my future a blur?

Gradually, I was able to feel gratitude for how that difficult process of divorce provided challenges that helped me grow. My family was able to go through that storm and exhibit resilience–not unblemished, but stronger and more able to communicate on a deeper, and more honest level.

I’ve listened to podcasts and read books that explore ways to increase your practice of being grateful, of being present to the abundance of life that surrounds you. There are many articles in the medical literature about the impact of gratitude on health. One article on the American Heart Association website, “Thankfulness: How Gratitude Can Help Your Health,” gives some scientific explanation of the impact of gratitude. It states:

“Research has shown that that the practice of gratitude is associated with many positive effects in a person’s physical and mental health. Expressing gratitude can improve sleep, mood and immunity, and can decrease depression, anxiety, chronic pain and disease.”

https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/mental-health-and-wellbeing/thankfulness-how-gratitude-can-help-your-health

There are enough reasons listed in that article to support an ongoing practice of gratitude. To dwell in a state of thankfulness is to open our hearts to the abundance around us, no matter what is happening in our lives.

Four years ago, I couldn’t see all that would happen in my life as I moved forward. I couldn’t see that my sadness would be replaced by joy.

Blessings to you,

Connie