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“Humility and gratitude go hand in hand.  The feeling of gratitude is an interaction between the mind and the body.  Both will benefit from it.  Awareness increases so that we become grateful for everything we are given.  We have to learn, literally learn, to be grateful for what we receive day by day, simply to balance that criticism that, day by day, we voice because of powerful emotions.”  Swami Sivananda Radha   

 

 

 

Be Kind By Being Silent

  

Well, maybe not the entire time.  I’m not talking about taking a vow of silence on Thanksgiving , although that may not be a bad idea for some of us, particularly for some relatives. (haha)  I am talking more about reflecting on the life for which you have to be thankful and appreciative.  When your mind is busy telling you all kinds of things, it is difficult to appreciate how beautiful everything really is.   How can you be listening when you are talking?  How can you hear what others are saying?  Are you sitting at the table waiting for your sister to finish her sentence so you can jump right in there without even hearing what she has to say?  Do you drink merrily until you don’t know what your saying?  Some useful things I’ve learned over the years:   

1.  When someone else is talking, wait until they finish, take a full breath, and then speak.   

2.  Listen to the conversation at and around the dinner table.  You might learn something new.   

3.  Remember, everyone is important, even the relatives you don’t care to be around.  Everyone has value.    

4.  Offer to help whether is setting the table or cleaning up or both.   

5.  Try not to poison your body with too much food.  Leftovers are great.   

6.  Try not to drink too heavily.  It’s just ugly and it poisons you body and your mind.   

7.  Be mindful.  Listen.  Appreciate.   

     

Let People Know Who You Are

  

Sorry.  Does that sound confusing?  Here I am telling you to observe silence, but also speak up. Hmmm…  Here’s the deal.  Practice the above and your friends and relatives just might see a side of you they normally wouldn’t see if you were talking too much.  (I speak from experience., haha.)  It would be nice, when you do choose to speak up, that you speak kind words.  After you have intently listened to another that you could actually engage in a meaningful conversation, one in which gives value and meaning to the person with whom you are speaking.  By being mindful of what goes in your mouth and what comes out, you open yourself up to new possibilities.  Maybe the people that actually annoyed you seem less annoying with your new compassionate eyes and ears.  Maybe by being mindful, your less annoying to those around you.  If you are saying to yourself, “Well, Donna, you don’t know my family”, let me say this, we are all the same, yet we are all different.  We all struggle with insecurity, self-worth issues and basic problems in life.  It’s all relative.  We’re all a pain in the ass and we’re all really wonderful.  We are all important.   

     

So take fifteen minutes and meditate in awe and appreciation for all the things that matter like:

  

 How well your body just keeps on ticking   

How your body just knows to keep breathing even when you are sleeping, when you are unconscious   

How the universe is holding you up right under feet as soon as you get up in the morning   

How wonderful it is that your corky relatives and friends want to share Thanksgiving dinner with you   

How wonderful it feels to be loved   

How wonderful it feels to give love   

How wonderful it feel to just give   

How wonderful it feels to receive with a deep sense of appreciation   

How wonderful it is when someone thinks to appreciate you and then lets you know   

How fabulous the heart really is!  We love.  It opens.  We expand in ways we never thought possible.   

     

You can think of lot’s of wonderful ways to appreciate and be thankful, right?  Use the comment box below and let us know what you appreciate this Thanksgiving.  What are you grateful for this year?   

     

 

   Baskingin the morning sun with my beautiful son Liam.  He's so cool!