With Thanksgiving closely in the rear-view mirror, I've been reflecting on thankfulness. What are the things I feel most thankful for? I think back to when my family stands in a crowded bunch before we eat our feast every year and we go around saying what we are thankful for. What did I say this year? I was thankful to be able to see my whole family and I was super duper happy that my hardest semester was almost over. Stuff to be thankful for? Of course. But what else?
I'm going to make a bit of an assumption here and say that most of us would say similar things if we were to all say what we are thankful for off the tops of our heads. Family, friends, a house, jobs, good grades, etc. These are all wonderful things to be thankful for; however, I can't help but think that we are overlooking some of the greatest gifts that are sprinkled throughout everyday life. We say we are thankful for the obvious things because, well, we are thankful for them and the happiness they bring us. But this Thanksgiving got me thinking that maybe we should dig a little deeper.
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1. Laughter
Something oh so simple, but oh so sweet. You said you were thankful for your family and friends, didn't you? Well, how about how thankful you are for how your sister makes you belly laugh without fail, or how your dad makes you snort when he tells the cheesiest of jokes? Laughter echoes throughout our daily lives, yet we tend to overlook it because it seems so small.
2. Hugging your loved ones
Nothing beats a warm embrace from your mom when you're at your highest and lowest points -- no matter what the situation, a hug from mama always wins. Tight squeezes from your long distance boyfriend or your best friend who goes to school halfway across the country always make for a thankful heart.
3. Home-cooked food
This one especially goes out to all my college people, because who doesn't appreciate an actual meal cooked by someone we know and love? Don't get me wrong, I'll always treasure my trips to Taco Bell, but they just don't compare to homemade mashed potatoes and cheesecake (already reminiscing about that dessert, holy yum).
4. Face-to-face conversation
Yeah yeah, I know, I text and tweet and do all that tech savvy stuff, but I'd take real-life conversation any day. Curling up on the couch with your significant other and just chatting about life sure makes a text message seem pretty unexciting, and we all know that sleepovers with your best friends are way better than your emoji-filled group chat. Face-to-face conversation bonds us closer to the people we care for and provides us with some pretty stellar memories to cherish.
While the list of little things to be thankful for could go on and on, I hope that you find gratefulness in these everyday gifts.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends.
