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 11/23/2009 |
Gratitude in living
The date on the calendar shows that another Thanksgiving is rolling towards us -- at least for those of us in the U.S. Most cultures, it seems, have some sort of harvest festival -- a time where people get together to enjoy the bounty of the earth -- even though few of them actually grow the stuff that winds up on the dinner table.
The tradition goes beyond football on TV or too much food. When you boil it down to its very core, the tradition of Thanksgiving is all about showing gratitude for the things we have, no matter how wonderful or how meager those things may be.
Thanksgiving is a time where we gather together, mostly as families, and for a brief time during the year, we concentrate on our blessings. It may be just for a few minutes between the turkey and the pumpkin pie, but those short minutes are ones that most of us will not dedicate during the rest of the year.
So, let me suggest that we all would be better off this year if we lived each day with the spirit of gratitude in our hearts.
Yes, I know this advice sounds like it's from "The Greatest Salesman in the World
Living each day with gratitude in our hearts can change our lives -- but we should do it If for no other reason than as a tactical advantage. Caring about others, and being grateful for their contributions, yields vast sums of loyalty from co-workers, bosses, and those who may follow us. People know when you care about them -- and they know when you don't.
Some years ago, the author Tom Peters told a story about an organization which gave small plastic tokens to people who did a good job. The tokens were worth a free meal at the company cafeteria -- and yet, one day, managers found that few of the tokens were ever turned in. These cheap plastic tokens had become a treasure to the people who received them -- because they indicated that people were grateful for what they had contributed.
Few organizations ever show gratitude to their employees -- but the ones which do become magnets for the best of the best -- they attract those people who value their contributions, because they know the company will value them as well. In these cases, showing gratitude to others becomes a business advantage -- and yet, we need to do it just because it's the right thing to do.
It's been a difficult year, it's true -- but even then, we can be thankful of one thing -- this year won't ever be repeated again!
Let's try and show a little more gratitude in our lives. Let's great each day with gratitude and thanksgiving in our hearts. Let's actively work to turn our lives, and the lives of those we love, around. Let's concentrate on finding the best around us, and recognizing it for being great. Let's join together and enjoy the remainder of this challenging year -- helping those who need it, and being grateful for whatever blessings may have come our way.
Let's great each day with gratitude -- and great each person with love and joy.
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