Thanks Living

Posted by LeeAnn on November 16th, 2009 at 12:42pm

How often do you pause for a moment of thanksgiving? Do you pause and give thanks for this breath and this heart beat? Can you fill a sheet of paper with all the things that you are grateful for?

A few years ago I started a practice of “Thanksliving” – living from the place of thanks, of gratitude.

Instead of letting thanksgiving be celebrated on one day, I decided to hold monthly celebrations. Sometimes I did the celebration by myself, sometimes with friends and sometimes with community. And the result has been living life from a place of wonder and mystery.

Yes, my human plans have been thwarted. Yes, I have had disappointments AND I have still found things to be grateful for. I have learned to slow down and see the magnificence in what each day brings. I suppose more than that, I have found joy in the prosaic.

I think that when we only celebrate the big things, or major holidays there is so much expectation placed on the event. When the event doesn’t live up to our imaginations and anticipation we find ourselves let down. In this culture there is so much riding on “the event” rather than on the mystery of the event itself. What if we focused on connection and gratitude?

A few years ago we started a gratitude journal in which all guests take a page and draw, write, list or in some way express thanks for the year’s events. It has become a collection of joys, mini steps and great triumphs. Several of the guests, knowing the expectation to share, now bring beautifully designed gratitude expressions to place in the book. The beauty and creativity that is shared warms the heart.

Such a simple expectation has touched my soul; sharing what one is thankful for. It has also changed the dynamic of the gatherings. People love to share even the small gifts life bestowed upon them.

What are you thankful for this day; this month; this year? How would your life be if your focus was thanks – living?

Please share what you are thankful for…. I’d love to share and share your comments…

Happy trails,

leeann_sg