Truly Giving Thanks

As Thanksgiving rapidly approaches, I can’t help but to reflect on the many blessings that have been bestowed upon me this past year. Often times, in our quest to keep up with the “Rat Race”, we lose sight of the things that are truly important in our lives. We definitely place way too much importance on material things and on shallow nonsense that, at the end of the day, has no real value to us whatsoever. Believe me, I am just as guilty of this as the next person. I love having a nice, new car to get me from here to there as well as nice things that make my life just a little more comfortable. Who doesn’t?

Unfortunately, or rather fortunately, these are not the things that will get us through the storm, so to speak. Life has a funny way of pulling the carpet out right from under your feet and, usually, wealth and riches are the first things to go. When all of that is gone, what are we really left with? The constant is who we are as a person. Chances are, if you were a creep with wealth, you will still continue to be a creep without wealth. What I mean to say is that we should all try our best to be the best person that we could possibly be.

The Million Dollar Question then becomes, what constitutes a good person? Although I don’t have a definite answer to this question, I think I have a pretty good idea…

1. A good person is one who thinks about the feelings of others and treats them the way that he or she wants to be treated.

2. A good person is one who has integrity and stands up for what he or she believes in even if it makes him or her unpopular with the status quo.

3. A good person is one who celebrates the differences in all people and doesn’t succumb to ignorant stereotypes or bigotry.

4. A good person shares their good fortune with others and doesn’t just hoard it.

5. A good person takes pride in the fact that others consider him or her to be a good person.

Obviously, this list is a work in progress as there are many other qualities that make up a good person. I think that what is important is not so much the list itself but the fact that people strive to be good people in their daily lives. It’s not that difficult if you pay attention to what is going on around you instead of being all wrapped up in yourself all of the time. I know that this is easier said than done in a world where we can become overwhelmed with all of the roles that we play on a daily basis. However, a little awareness can go a long way.

So, without further ado, I am thankful for my children and the fact that they are healthy this holiday season. I am thankful that I have been married, for the last ten years, to the most wonderful and caring husband, father, friend, and man. I am thankful for every single day of life that I am blessed with to share with all three of them and the rest of my loved ones. I am definitely a better person for being surrounded by love, support, respect, and family. It is my hope that you may all be surrounded by all of these things this Thanksgiving and that you pay close attention to the world around you lest there be someone who is lacking these things close by. You might make more of a difference in their life than you could possibly fathom.

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