Thanksgiving: The Holiday We Need Now More Than Ever

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In a year when everything has pretty much gone off the rails, I think we need Thanksgiving now more than ever before. I understand that this year has brought a lot of disappointment, but we should take this day to reflect on what we still have and be grateful for it. If anything, quarantine made me look inwards and come to appreciate the things I took for granted, such as orchestra, playing bass, school, and especially being able to see and talk to people in-person. In fact, it was by losing those things that I became truly grateful for everything I didn’t care about as much as I should. To everyone who is not really feeling the gratitude today, I encourage you to get a piece of paper and pen, sit yourself down, turn off those negative thoughts, and instead, turn on the light to see both the big and small things in life that has brought you joy or made you realize how much worse life would be without it. Perhaps you’ll feel more inclined to do this after looking at my list for the things I’m grateful for. 


There are so many different ways to practice gratitude. If you want to know what you can do to start making gratitude part of your everyday life, take a look at this list of five ways to practice gratitude:

1) KEEP A GRATITUDE JOURNAL AND ADD TO IT EVERYDAY

2) APPRECIATE THE SMALL THINGS IN LIFE THAT BRING YOU JOY


3) SMILE AND LAUGH MORE OFTEN


4) TAKE IN THE BEAUTY OF NATURE EACH DAY


5) PRACTICE ACTS OF KINDNESS DAILY


What’s so special about gratitude is that it not only has the power to change our lives and refine our well-being, but it’s something that can be practiced and developed over time. Instead of always reaching for something that you think will make you happier or turn your life around, focus on what you already have and not what you lack. Embark on this journey of gratitude and learn that by focusing on the positives, you can achieve greater happiness, improved health, and deeper relationships. 


Perhaps the worst sin of youth is to either get sucked by the vortex of the past or be blinded by the fantasies of the future, but not relish in a time like no other—the present.

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