Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving

By Angela

New Organizing Project blogger

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The psychology of Thanksgiving. Like Korean dramas, or anything for that matter, there is much to explore beneath the surface. Let’s journey together into some of the psychology of Thanksgiving, or simply giving thanks.

Many times in life, we take things for granted. Moreover, we tend to focus on the things that we do not have. In other words, we can be very covetous, being unsatisfied and too busy noticing what we don’t have. We come up often face-to-face with greed, simply wanting more and more and unhappy that we do not have enough for what we think will make us satisfied. Because we often compare what we have to those around us who have more than us, we are ungrateful because of the relative comparisons that we make.

And because of the focus on what we don’t have, we take for granted for what we do have. For example, at this very moment while you are reading this blog, you are comfortably situated in your room or inside a warm building enjoying access to speedy internet connection. You do not have to wildly scramble for food and you may have your loving family and friends close beside you supporting you both physically and emotionally though whatever struggles you are going through. You most likely will have something to eat for dinner tonight, maybe even a feast. Meanwhile, also as you are reading this, there are those who are less fortunate, such as homeless people, who are trying to survive day by day and minute by minute.

The Thanksgiving season is a time for everyone to reflect on their lives and be grateful for what they are blessed with even during difficult times. Here is my shortlist:

1)   Family members who will love you no matter who you are or who you will become and who will sacrifice everything in order to provide for you and the rest of your family.

2)   Friends who will share a good laugh with you no matter how silly your jokes may be and who will lend you a shoulder when you need one to cry on.

In this season, we can challenge how we are for much of the year and be grateful and give thanks to our loved ones – who with their presence in our lives, feed our souls. A little word of “thank you for being a part of my life” is one way for you to give back and appreciate them for making a difference in your life. Share the love during this thanksgiving.