3 Ways for Thanks Giving

On this Thanksgiving Day (US), I am reminded of some thoughts on Gratitude and more. Ever since our own Thanksgiving Day (in Canada, in October), I have been meditating on Gratitude, Thankfulness and Appreciation.

My Own Gratitude

But first, I have my own special reason for Gratitude this day. Today marks the 30th anniversary of deciding that I was Baha'i. 30 years ago today, in a hotel room after conducting a Dale Carnegie Course session I was leading, and amidst watching an episode of Cheers, I decided that I was a Baha'i. After years of spiritual searching and questioning, I made that well and hard discerned and decided choice for me. My Gratitude for such has been constant as my Faith has been a grounding for my own work and play forward, through times of trail, trial and triumph alike. Today, there is a deeper sense of that Gratitude as I discern and decide and ever explore on path forward, including my own health and my newfound love of Boxing.

I say this not to persuade nor convince nor preach. Our spiritual journeys are our own. Mine is mine. Yours is yours. We have our own Responsibility for the independent investigation of truth, after all. My search continues and will throughout life, but I have found my chosen path. These words of Baha'u'llah speak to me ever more this day.

They have not only become my own chosen Desiderata if you will... they are a path for my own sense of Character to explore and advance upon, for life. It is not about perfect as a noun or destination; a myth. It is about perfect as a verb or path; our best reality. Ever growing, and exploring.

For that Faith and those words, I am grateful.

Indeed, those first words above in "Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity" say so much. They speak to an on-the-ground and real time understanding of abundance that sees all of our trails, trials and triumphs alike as tests of our Character.

Being generous in prosperity is of Character. Being thankful in adversity is as well.

These words above are not unlike a guide and map to exploring my own Character and Purpose and Unity. For me, they ground my personal and professional sense of vision, mission and just cause. They ground my approach to countenance and gait, walking my walk and talk... through ups, downs, ins and outs and arounds. For that, I hold great Gratitude.

That said, I have reason to hold Gratitude, and be thankful. A modest and cherished home. Food and drink and good comfort. My beautiful little Black Beast of a Honda. My Deck. My telescope, office, studio, home gym and more. My teaching. My enterprise. Singing. Dancing. Boxing. Cartooning. My road back to greater health. My friends, and family and clients I adore.

But also my trials along the way. Divorce, stroke, loved ones passed, and more. Trials can teach as much as triumphs, if we but listen. Pain teaches too, and can reveal our best Character, if we but heed. Being thankful in adversity does not mean we should seek out misery but understand that grief teaches... amidst same.

Three Thoughts

I say all of this with a thought on this particular Thanksgiving; actually three.

But first, my meditating on Gratitude, Thankfulness and Appreciation has brought me to my own understanding that Gratitude is a spirit within, Thankfulness is that capacity to express our Gratitude in words and deeds. Appreciation is a whole other level.

Think about it. In business, to depreciate an asset is to decrease its value. To appreciate an asset is to increase the value. So it is with Appreciation. With the practice of Appreciation, it requires us to give attention. Appreciation appreciates the value of something or someone through our giving of that attention. Spending time and other resources on something or someone, adds to its value. So, my thought to you this day is threefold.

• Make a list of all for that which you hold a spirit of genuine Gratitude. Be exhaustive with that list. Write it down. Record it. Hold it. See it. Claim it. Own it. Make it resonant.
• Identify that for which you will express that Gratitude in thanking, and do that. Say it. Tell it. Express it. Make it known. Declare it.
• Then, figure on that which deserves your focus and attention, and appreciate that through your engagement. Spend time with it or them. Value the presence and presents of such by your focus and attention.

A Wish...

Wishing you hold Gratitude, express Thankfulness, and invest in Appreciation... going forward.

For me, I will be making my own list, and checking it thrice. I will be figuring on who and what I need to express thanks... and where I will be giving ever greater focus and attention.

Peace.

Barry Lewis Green, The Unity Guy with Epic Engage.

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• You?are an Activant … an Educator, Entrepreneur or Emerging Leader who is looking to make constructive change happen, on the ground, real-world, real-time. You are world-embracing and noble-hearted. You seek to mobilize a strong, united and character-driven team to change the world or your corner of it. You want to lead, inspire, educate and unite in doing so.?Let’s go build a better world!

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