It's that time of year when people from all across the nation gather together to be thankful as we stand in lines in the local department store spending money we had previously allocated for a turkey that will become a new faux fur coat. Yes, that wonderful hustle and bustle that all of the Christmas carolers sing about are highlighted with the cursing, spitting and fighting due to the wonderful festivities that we willingly take part in. The festivities in which hundreds of individuals are forced to work and thousands are willingly spending their savings on things they don't need during a time when we claim that we are so thankful for everything we have been blessed with.

What happened to being thankful? What happened to blessing those who need a blessing and to giving back to those who deserve to be shown how life changing they truly are? When did Thanksgiving become a giant shopping spectacle in which we show our banks and credit card companies how thankful we are that they allow us to spend so much and crawl our way out of the negative balance? Isn't it sad that kids in today's generation only see Thanksgiving as the day when Black Friday sales begin?

Why has tradition changed, and what did it change so quickly?

When I was a little girl, I remember waking up on Thanksgiving and watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with my parents while drinking hot apple cider. I remember during the commercials we would call our relatives and tell them how much they meant to my little sister and me. I remember helping my mother fix the Thanksgiving meal while my dad and sister talked to us. When dinner was set on the table, we all took turns blessing the prayer and thanking God for everything he had given us.

I think that this year, we have so much to be thankful for. We all woke up this morning. We have been giving another chance to tell those we love how much they mean to us. Each day, each bump in the road and even each morning stuck in traffic are all things we should be internally grateful for. What if you didn't wake up tomorrow and you never expressed your gratitude?

This Thanksgiving, I challenge you to be thankfully thankful. Think back to tradition and use the manners your mother taught you all of those years ago. Smile and give to the Salvation Army. Share the love you possess with those who aren't shown the love they deserve. Be the reason someone is thankful. Be someone's blessing.