Today I offer my grace of thanksgiving for all that I have been given. I also whisper a humble grace for the messy work that is helping me to become.
May you too be blessed in your grappling this Thanksgiving.
“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Thanksgiving Grace
Today I am deeply grateful for…
- My caring husband who believes in possibilities
- My children who amaze me with their insights, caring hearts and contributions
- My extended family and pit crew who make my work possible
- My creative and tenacious team who accomplished what most believed could not be done
- An opening heart leading to deepening relationships
- A social media infrastructure that makes it possible for me to collaborate with leaders from around the world
- Amazing new connections now growing into friends, mentors and supporters
- Saying yes
Thanksgiving Grappling
But also surprisingly grateful for..
- Time stuck in airports
… giving me time to think - Realizing my strengths have downsides
… which is forcing me to fine-tune - Feeling a bit stuck
… which is causing me to consider - Choices that ticked me off
….which reaffirmed my values - Being too busy
… which is forcing me to prioritize - Friends and colleagues who are grappling too
… so we can work on this junk together
Gratitude is tricky.
It’s easy to feel full of thanksgiving for the good parts. It’s a bit harder to feel grateful for the messy and uncomfortable aspects of our lives.
Perhaps that’s exactly the work for which we should be most grateful.
May you find a strange peace and joy in your grappling this Thanksgiving.
Namaste.
A great perspective to share! The age old phrase “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” applies to much of the challenges we face through our life adventures. I ran into someone I had lost touch with last night. It was a moment filled with contradictions as we were attending a wake for a friend that had passed away after losing her battle with cancer. In the middle of a Church filled with sadness and tears, I had a moment of joy as we reconnected. It was a strange feeling; the loss of a dear friend caused the reunion of two other people. From something uncomfortable came something wonderful.
I can also admit that after many delays sitting in an airport, when I finally arrive at home, the hugs I give my wife and kids are bigger and longer than they used to be. Thank you United for being the lousy airline that you are…..as I focus on the quality of time with my family more than I used to!
Nice post Karin! An important perspective to be thankful for! Thanks for the gift of your writing!
Jonathan, thank you so much. Did you really just thank United? Yikes… It is so much fun to read your reflections as well. Thank you for your leadership and gift of writing.