expressing yourself

Express Your Gratitude This Thanksgiving!

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." William Arthur Ward

Do you remember learning the Thanksgiving story in grammar school? Did you make one of those construction paper turkeys from an outline of your hand?

We all know that the original Thanksgiving feast was a celebration of survival, friendship and bounty. 

Now that we are older and can actually cook a turkey, the feasting probably gets more of our attention than thankfulness does. That's why it's good to take a moment to refocus.

The truth is that we are all survivors of harsh personal winters. It is only due to the generous support of others and the gifts of our harvest that we find ourselves in a bountiful autumn.

For all we have received, it isn't enough just to be thankful. For, what is thankfulness if it is not expressed?

My younger sister reminds me of this again and again, when she sends me a text in the middle of the day just to say she loves me and is thinking of me. 

Our daughter wrote her brother, father and I beautiful love letters before she left for college. Reading it brought tears to my eyes and made me immensely proud of the woman she has become.

Their example and writing the Gratitude Gems Series has made me more aware of the importance of expressing my gratitude.

This year, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving with my very large family. (I am one of nine sisters and brothers, and we have husbands, wives, children, a mother and a new nephew-in-law. We are a very close, high-spirited bunch.)

Will you join me in a Thanksgiving resolution? As you feast this Thanksgiving, make a special effort to express your love and appreciation for those you love and care about. You don't have to make a speech (see my sister's text messages.) Just a few heart-felt simple words can go a very long way.

If you celebrate, have a wonderful Thanksgiving! And a big "THANK YOU" from me to you for joining me here at WhereWeGoNow. I am so grateful for your emails, comments, input and company. 

Survival > Existence,

Related Posts:

The Survivor's Nest - Thanksgiving Quotes

Meditation Monday - Mindful Movement

Image credit: 123RF Stock Photo

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The Survivor's Nest - What Makes a House a Home?

Yes, your home is your castle, but it is also your identity and your possibility to be open to others. David Soul

David Soul is the guy who played Hutch in the TV series "Starsky and Hutch" and sang the one-hit wonder "Don't Give Up on Us." But, the man has a point. If we look at our homes as a canvas upon which to paint our personalities, it should be clear to anyone who visits who we are.

If you walked into this house, what would it tell you about the inhabitants:

1.  They probably don't have children or animals, given the use of white upholstered furniture. 

2.  They really hate clutter, to the point that they own nothing.

Now, look at this room and tell me what you learn from it about the people who live there:

1.  She collects vintage pieces, such as the bull's eye mirror, Chinese urns, candlesticks and old books. If you ask, she'll tell you that many pieces were picked up at garage sales and flea markets.

2.  She loves decorative plates (especially vintage souvenir plates from across the US) and displays them proudly.

3.  The wooden box, used now for firewood but originally meant to hold Champagne, came out of her mother's garage. No one has any idea how it got there, but that's part of its charm.

4.  She likes warm colors, textured fabrics and intimate nooks for reading, hanging out and relaxing.

5. They have children, as you can tell from the handmade Valentine's hearts perched on the mantel.

6.  The pictures of her mother and her when she was a baby, and her husband with his mother as a toddler, are treasured family photos. 

Remember, we only invite people into our home who we want to be there. That makes it sacred ground. Take the time to look around and ask yourself what your home is revealing about you. Is your home telling the story you want to tell? Are you being open to others and truly celebrating you in your space?

If not, it's not a hard thing to do. Collect what you love and display it proudly. In the iconic words of designer William Morris, "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." All you have to do is choose to live with what you believe to be beautiful. How you express that is entirely up to you.

123RF Stock Photos

and Emmi Interiors, LLC

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