It is so much more than a turkey. Thanksgiving, although not celebrated by everyone, has been a holiday cherished by generations of our families. Growing up for me, Thanksgiving was just another excuse to skip school, an excuse to be spared from the dreadful math test I was anxiously anticipating. Combine that with a mouth-watering meal of all the holiday classics: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie; the joy I felt for this holiday was irreplicable as a little girl. Years later, I still look forward to it all, but I now celebrate Thanksgiving with quite a different mindset.
Just being ten years older, I have shifted my perspective on what I find worth celebrating. Don’t get me wrong, a food-related holiday is hard to pass up, but I now understand the real celebration for me, is for the people I have. The family, friends, and loved ones who have given me the gifts of companionship and support are what I focus on most. We often forget that Thanksgiving is a holiday dedicated to being thankful for the things and people that keep our lives joyful. Life can get incredibly busy in college. Through all of the ups and downs we are faced with academically, socially, and mentally; we forget to recognize the value of those we can turn to during it all. You may dread Thanksgiving for many reasons, whether it is the personal questions your extended family interrogates with or just impatience for Christmas to come sooner, but none of this should deter you from practicing gratitude.
How does one practice gratitude? Is this just another cliche motivational line to endure? While these are sensible questions to ask, the best answers can be found through personal experience. Gratitude looks different with every individual, including what we are grateful for, and how we express our emotions. Living hours away from family and states away from friends, having the ability to spend time with them is invaluable to me. With such a distance between us, being in college has made me appreciate these relationships even more. I find myself missing the dinner conversations with my parents and the shopping trips I would take with my friends. Through these feelings of nostalgia, I realized that the people I love are what I should be celebrating most. Now to practice gratitude on Thanksgiving, or whenever I feel appreciative, I find comfort in speaking words of affirmation. This means that I will speak directly to that person and reiterate how much they mean to me. Other people may choose to show their gratitude through hugs, baked goods, or even the written word, never to be seen by another. Regardless of the way you practice gratitude, all that matters is that you are mindful of your reality, whether it is full of love, good health or personal satisfaction.
Appreciating everything that makes our lives special will keep us from fixating on what we don’t have, or the things we can’t control. My family and friends are what I see to be most special in my life, but understand that it is okay if you find your happiness elsewhere. This time of year can become isolating for some as there is an emphasis on having such relationships. If this applies to you, you are not alone in feeling this way. Focus on what you do have, no matter how unorthodox it might be; celebrate what brings you authentic joy this Thanksgiving.