I’m very grateful. Grateful that we have a place to lay our heads tonight. Grateful that my three kids are enjoying their school year and all the activities that go with it. Grateful that my mom and dad cooked a delicious meal for us yesterday after we spent the weekend at a hockey rink for a tournament that we won. I’m grateful for friends who accept my flaws, books that inspire me, walks that fuel me and dreams that keep me moving in the right direction.
Thanksgiving is a time when people who care about each other gather around a table and share food made with love. But the gratitude we feel on this holiday can lift us up on a daily basis. As life coach Tony Robbins said, “Trade your expectations for appreciation and the world changes instantly.”
Expectations ruin everything. Because life is what happens when you’re making other plans.
If we expect that our life will work out just the way we pictured it, we will be disappointed. If we embrace the life we are living and appreciate the ups and downs as lessons for growth, we will thrive.
One day it will all make sense. But in the meantime, we must be grateful. And be thankful today and every day for each breath we are blessed to take.