Grattitude is the best attitude!

Well, turkey day is over. I am officially 5.4 pounds heavier (which doesn't sit well on my 5'6", pasty white from lack of sun, frame). The turkey was fried, the bloody marys were consumed, the grace was said and the pie is long gone. We spent it with family and friends, just like we traditionally do and just how we like it. Of course, to me you can never have enough of those people around... it always seems like someone is missing... that someone usually being a far-away cousin, best friend who now has her own family to celebrate with, or my grandmother who spent this Thanksgiving along with the past 6 Thanksgivings hanging out upstairs with the Big Man around His table. Minus all of these missing links, I am still so unbelievably, so incredibly, so immensely fortunate. When I tell you I am the most blessed human on the face of the planet, I really am not kidding you. Of course, my idea of being "blessed" might be slightly different than yours and we are all entitled to feel like we own this number one spot (at least, I hope you all feel this way), but I really would not change one single thing about my life or the lives of those I love. We have each other which means we have love. We can walk and breathe and speak, which means we have health. We have a house to hold us and a table to gather around, which means we are sheltered. We have turkey and dressing and mashed potatoes and that God awful cranberry ice, which means we have food. These things alone make us richer than most of the world.

However, with all of that said (you had to know this was coming...) - why do we only feel this way for 6 weeks out of the year? Why do we only express our gratitude to God on the last Thursday of November and [occasionally] the 25th of December? Don't get me wrong, ladies and gents... I'm just as guilty. I'm no angel and definitely not the Messiah. But I have tried my damnest to be more grateful all 365 days of the year, rather than just on bank holidays. Maybe I'm beginning to realize that we aren't all invincible, that things do happen that are beyond our control and that you don't always get a second chance. Or maybe I'm realizing my own mortality, I don't know. Either way, I have made it a point to tell the people I love that I love them. I call my friends, I listen, I show up. I notice the sunsets, I tear up when babies learn to walk, I pay attention to the stories my grandparents share with me. I laugh at my dad's jokes, I reminisce over old photos, I savor my mom's cooking and I try to take time to remind people that they mean something to me. I thank God every.single.day for the blessings he has provided me and I've even learned (gasp!) to thank him for what he hasn't provided me. I'm a firm believer in prayer, but I think we get it confused all too often. Just because He doesn't answer your prayers the way you ask him to, doesn't mean they haven't been answered. You might not have that Mercedes, or the bigger diamond, or the overflowing checking account but that doesn't mean He's giving you the cold shoulder. Someone, somewhere is fighting a bigger battle, I can guar-an-tee you that. Let's stop being so damn superficial and materialistic and pray for more important things... like time, because no matter what there is never enough.

As I type this, I am watching World News Tonight (without Charlie Gibson, so it ain't the same) and what are they reporting? It's World Aids Day and they are in South Africa, interviewing a family of 5 children who have lost their mother to this horrible epidemic. These children have nothing... and I mean, nothing. Nothing but the too-small shoes that barely cover their feet, the clothes that expose them more than cover them and the tears running down their faces. Do you know what these people would give to have a 30 minute meal around our tables? Do we have any idea what it's like to beg for an education... and then have to walk 10 miles one-way on a dirt road if we are lucky enough to receive one? More importantly, do we know how easily we could have been one of them? It's the luck of the draw, y'all. How selfish of us take advantage of all we have all been afforded and forget all that some lack.

My point being, don't let the holiday season be the only time you change your facebook status to say what you are grateful for. Don't let THANKSgiving be the only day you send out an email to everyone in your address book, sending well wishes and blessing their holidays. Do it once a week. Hell, do it once a month if that's all you can muster up. Just do it. It takes 30 seconds, but I can assure it will sit well on your heart. One day you will wish someone was on the receiving end of that phone call or email; you'll wish their name would pop up in your inbox or show up on your caller ID. Thank your God, thank your Jesus, thank your Allah, thank your Jehovah, pray to Buddha, meditate... do whatever it is that you do. But do it with appreciation, do it with grace and do it as often as you can. If you only say one prayer in your entire life, let it be "thank you". Thank whoever you worship for the laughs, the heartaches, the good OR bad test results, the time we have left, the time we lost, the love we share and the love we once shared. Beggars can't be choosers. If you're gonna beg, be prepared for what may come your way. No matter what it is and no matter what day of the year it is, a quick gracias never hurt anyone. Gratitude can transform common days into Thanksgivings and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. Make every day a THANKSgiving.

Tonight I'll be praying for enough oranges to last the Brown family through the holidays... Mimosas are on tap through the new year, so feel free to stop by. I'm sure Mom wouldn't mind putting Dad to work in front of the juicer, she has been known to do that a time or two.

Happy Holidays to all, much love and many well wishes heading your way - today, tomorrow and always.