Giving Thanks

It's a beautiful thing to have one day a year where people say thanks. Thanks for what you ask? Well, you mostly hear people give their thanks for their health, job, families, friends, food on the table, etc. People also say thanks by taking this day to serve in soup kitchens or volunteer somewhere - you know, give back to their communities. This warms my heart so much that it made me evaluate my own actions to date. Aside from the four times a year when I clean out my closet and household and give my stuff to homeless people on the street, I haven't really given back to my community here in Los Angeles. I contemplated serving in a soup kitchen on my first Thanksgiving alone because that is super original and no one else does that on Thanksgiving (insert sarcasm). I opted to do that on any other day because let's face it - the hungry are hungry every other day of the year too. The bottom line is that there are hundreds of organizations looking for volunteers throughout the year and a countless number of ways to help any cause you are passionate about. A lot of people mistake "helping" as having to dole out some sort of financial contribution but I can assure you that is not the case. Times are tough, I can attest to that!

I consider myself to be a "giving" person but I really could have afforded to pick up a pair of binoculars to try and see past those right in front of me. You have to help yourself, help your friends, help your family - but I feel that you also help strangers when you can too. I've lived in big cities and have always been told to mind my own business and don't be too trusting of people. Sure, there is some street smarts to that advice but if you can't trust your own judgment, what else do you have? It could be something as simple as helping an elderly woman carry her bags to her car, or picking up something someone has dropped and letting them know. Help is help. A good deed is a good deed. It's free and it feels good. I am going to try and do more of that from now on because I, like everyone else in this world can get consumed by my life and become a bit selfish. Don't get me wrong, it's GREAT to be selfish sometimes especially when you aren't taking care of yourself first.

Today and everyday I am thankful for this life. It is not perfect but it is mine and I own it. I am thankful for a family that loves me no matter what I put them through. I am thankful for my friends near and far, best friends or acquaintances, because you all add something valuable to my life. I am thankful for my health and the good fortune I have been blessed with that I sometimes take for granted. I am thankful to you - the readers of my blog. All of you whether you know me personally or not, are helping me every day by reading and sharing my blog, to achieve a longer term goal that I have in my life. Please continue to share!

Although there is controversy over the date, location, and purpose of the first Thanksgiving celebration, the meaning of Thanksgiving seems to stay pretty consistent amongst most; spread love and thanks in an overly cheesy way all day long. Just don't forget that love and thanks are good every other day too :)

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