With Thanksgiving fast approaching, our thoughts turn to thanks and gratitude. But, this morning, I began to think of it another way. We usually give thanks for what we have received—tangible or intangible. But knowing that receiving and giving are part of one continuous flow, shouldn’t we be just as thankful for what we give? After all, there wouldn’t be any receiving if it didn’t start with some giving!
So I began to ponder the things I’m thankful for giving—not an easy task when brought up in a Puritan society. Seems I’m not as ready to call those good things “mine”. Much easier to take on those bad things. Every time I began to give thanks for something I give, that voice in my head responded with “don’t be egotistical”, or “you couldn’t do it without…”, or “that’s not really much of anything”. Do you have that same naysayer on your shoulder?
But for this week, I’m going to shout louder than that voice and share my list of Thanks for my Giving:
1) Thanks for my giving life to my sons. I really did this one right!
2) Thanks for my giving unconditional love to my husband. Definitely, the gift that keeps on giving.
3) Thanks for my giving foreign publishing rights to Ari Toivenen in Finland. My dream for spreading my message is on its way.
4) Thanks for my giving an open heart and open ear to friends and family members.
5) Thanks for my giving time and money to social causes near and dear to my heart. I will be the change I wish to see in this world.
6) Thanks for me. When all is said and done, I’m pretty awesome. After all, how can I not fully receive that greatest gift of all—life!
So, try this new way of thanksgiving—you’ll like it. Awkward at first, but amazing how your confidence grows. With new confidence, the giving gets easier and so does the receiving. Because remember, what goes around comes around. It’s the way of the world!
