Thank You

"I celebrated Thanksgiving in an old-fashioned way. I invited everyone in my neighborhood to my house, we had an enormous feast, and then I killed them and took their land."
--Jon Stewart

What are you thankful for right in this moment? What can you do to express your thanksgiving?

Right now...I ate some lunch.
I'm privileged just to say that, aren't I?
And I'm currently surrounded by the sound of students writing--one of my favorites. And it's nearing the end of their "afternoon pages" time, so they're really into it (or faking really well), and I'm thankful for giving them some time to write what they want...and that they're doing it. It is hushed and full-sounding all at once.
So I say thank you.
And I'm not just full from lunch, but full from my life right now. I'm happy, I live in a beautiful city, I have a fantastic job that continually challenges me to do more and be more. I have a cozy home and good company there.
I'm thankful.
I can read and think and feel and believe whatever I desire because I was born in America. That's a complicated thing to be thankful for, but I'm glad for the time in which I was born. I hope I can do something to contribute one day.
And again--I'm thankful.
And it's a lovely day--not Thanksgiving-y at all, but clear skied, warm (balmy), and just happy. I can't wait to be out in it. And it's a great feeling knowing that I have three days of fun ahead of me.
So I say thank you for that.
And I am surrounded by fantastic people. Friends, a husband who does the dishes, fun students, kind people that work beside me...my days are overflowing with great people.

And that's all just in this moment!!

But to be honest...around Thanksgiving, especially in churches and schools, that's all you hear about: "what are you thankful for? what are you thankful for? what are you thankful for?" So we list the usual things: family, friends, freedom...but what do we do about that? Just be? Just be thankful? How do you do that?
I guess, for one thing, I can express my thankfulness in words (like a blog, or in a note, or a poem). But I think my attitude should be one of true thanksgiving, and because I'm a Christian, that means acknowledging God for all of these blessings. To tell others that I owe it all to my Creator. Point the thanksgiving back to Him.
And by doing that, I think I'll behave differently. More open to joy, more generous with my time and my gifts...and as I write that, I'm encouraged to immediately begin.