When people think of Thanksgiving, beyond the food, family and fellowship, the focus is on giving thanks. And when most people think of “giving thanks,” they’re talking about verbally sharing with others what they’re thankful for. But real “thanksgiving” goes beyond mere words. Here are three ways to incorporate a little more thanks into your Thanksgiving.
GIVE SERVICE
Wanna give thanks? Give service. What better way to show how thankful you are to your Creator for another day, another year of life, than to go out and serve others and serve community. There are several individuals and organizations that make service an annual part of their Thanksgiving tradition. If you’re not part of one of those groups or congregations, you can still find ways to give the gift of service on Thanksgiving Day or any day of the year. Giving tangible, real sweat-inducing service is one of the best examples of the realness of the phrase “I can show you better than I can tell you.”
GIVE RESPECT & PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
Wanna give thanks? Give respect in the form of actions (changed or ongoing) that show via what you do that you are thankful for the blessings bestowed upon you. One of the most disdained individuals in society is the brother or sister who offers no acknowledgment of the kindnesses afforded them. The opposite of that is the person who makes sure to do things that will leave no doubt about how thankful they are for those blessings that flowed their way, whether those blessings were a job hook up, a much-needed temporary living space, a word of truth that needed to be spoken to help awaken an individual out of their doldrums, or a second chance received from a teacher or boss or loved one. Actions of gratitude in response to such kindnesses not only show a level of respect for and to the person offering the help, they show a level of personal responsibility, humility and general human decency on the part of the thankful person; personal responsibility and humility that can guide that person to new opportunities for their life.
GIVE YOUR BEST SELF
Pat Morita, the actor who played the sensei in the original Karate Kid movie, once shared a story about the legendary comedian Redd Foxx. Morita told Foxx that he was trying to buy his first house, a purchase that could be a game-changer for Morita and his family. The problem was Morita was short $3,500 for closing costs. Without hesitation, Foxx looked to see if he had the money in his pocket. Not finding it, Foxx had one of his people bring him his checkbook. Foxx then wrote out a check for the amount, but before giving it to Morita, he told him, “I don’t wanna hear a word about a loan, about paying me back; none of that. You’re gonna be a successful actor in this business. When you’re in a position, do the same for somebody else.” Morita kept his word, helping multiple people with that similar “pay it forward” message. One of the most powerful ways to give thanks is to dedicate yourself to becoming the best version of yourself possible and offering that (your best self) to the world. I’m sure you’ve heard folk say, “The best revenge is my success.” Well, the best thanks giving just may be your success, as well. Not necessarily your professional or monetary success but the success of being the most upright, honorable, committed, talent-sharing, injustice-confronting, lifelong-learning person you can possibly be.
