Reasons to Be Thankful This Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate with family and friends, but it’s also a time to be thankful. As you gather around the table once again this year, here are four reasons why you should be thankful.

Thankful for Friends

Are you thankful for your friends? Why shouldn’t you should be? You get to share your life experiences with others. Not to mention, you can learn from them, and they can learn from you. Friends are there when it’s time to celebrate, but they’re also there for you when times are tough and you need a shoulder to lean on. And if that isn’t enough reason to be thankful, playing games together is an awesome way to have fun!

While we all know how important it is to have good friends in our lives, sometimes they don’t realize just how much we appreciate them until we have an opportunity like Thanksgiving when we stop and think about all the wonderful people who play meaningful roles in our lives. This is why every year around this time of year people send out their “thankful lists” via email or text message. So loved ones know how important those relationships are in their everyday lives.

Thanksgiving with Family

Family is a powerful source of love and support, no matter what your family looks like. Whether you’re lucky enough to have a nuclear family or there’s a whole village around you, the people who know you best are often there for your good times and bad.

Family can also be a source of conflict and stress. Sometimes “blood is thicker than water” means that when things get tough, it’s difficult to say what needs saying without hurting someone else’s feelings — or getting hurt yourself in the process. We’ve all been there: why does it always seem like we’re fighting on Thanksgiving? It’s not just because everyone is stressed out from traveling home; sometimes it feels like no matter how hard we try as individuals or as groups, nothing ever changes between us.

But even when things feel bleak with our relatives (and they do), there will always be something to laugh about at dinner this year if we put our minds to it.

Fun Times

Thanksgiving is the perfect time for fun. It’s a day for families to gather together, prepare a meal and enjoy each other’s company. And what better way to show your gratitude than by relaxing and having some fun?

The best part of Thanksgiving is that you can do all kinds of activities with your family or friends — from bowling to playing laser tag, there are endless ways to have fun during this holiday season. Don’t worry about cooking that turkey either because we’ve got delicious recipes right here on Pinterest.

Delicious Food

Thanksgiving is the time when we are most thankful for food. The food is delicious, and it’s good for you. But more than that, eating brings people together. It makes them feel full and happy and satisfied. Food doesn’t just provide sustenance; it brings people together. There are many examples of this throughout history:

• Thanksgiving dinners at school or work;
• Family celebrations over turkey and stuffing;
• Holiday feasts with friends.

All these events bring people together to enjoy some tasty treats from the kitchen or restaurant table.

You can also be thankful for all kinds of foods other than Thanksgiving dinner (which is why I wrote an entire book about it). These include:

• Fresh produce from your local farmer’s market;
• Ice cream on a hot summer day; pancakes for breakfast on Saturday morning before heading out to play with your friends at recess;
• Or even something as simple as crackers with cheese dip on Friday nights while watching reruns of Friends in college dorm rooms (or maybe yours).

All these foods have their own unique tastes and textures that make them memorable experiences beyond just being “good” or “bad.”

It’s Good to be Thankful

It is always a good time to be thankful, but this Thanksgiving it’s especially important. The holiday can help us remember why we’re grateful in the first place and what really matters in life.

By Sheena Robertson

Sources:

Desert News: 9 ways to feel truly thankful for Thanksgiving
Lifecore: 9 REASONS TO BE THANKFUL THIS THANKSGIVING

Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Nick Olejniczak‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of DaPuglet‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License