"When we practice gratitude, we remember to see and wake up to all that we already have and that we have enough."—The Reverend Jennika M. Eckhaus Borger ’98, S’01 (photo by Rob Cardillo)
Thanksgiving is obviously a time that we set aside to give thanks. We give thanks for the people in our lives and for feasts of delicious food. There are, however, people who are struggling to give thanks this year. For some, the Thanksgiving holiday reminds them of loss, of loneliness, of hardship. What do we do if we are not feeling particularly thankful this Thanksgiving?
What if instead of giving thanks this season, we focus on gratitude? While giving thanks is based on our circumstances, we can practice gratitude in the midst of our circumstances. Practicing gratitude can provide strength and healing as we make our way through both the ups and the downs of this life’s journey.
Practicing gratitude does not make everything perfect. It does not make everything positive. Instead, practicing gratitude allows us to stop and be present in the moment. To recognize what is going well, even if it is only that we are still breathing.
In a capitalist society we are taught that we never are enough and that we never have enough. We are taught to notice life through the lens of a deficit. What if we change the lens to one of gratitude so that we notice the abundance.
“Practicing gratitude reframes our lives from a deficit mindset to an abundance mindset.”
Practicing gratitude reframes our lives from a deficit mindset to an abundance mindset. This shift can heal our hearts and minds.
When we practice gratitude, we remember to see and wake up to all that we already have and that we have enough. Oftentimes we have more than enough. When we practice gratitude for ourselves and who we are, we remember that we are enough. More than enough. We become present to the abundance of life.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor, wrote, “In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.” He wrote this while he was in prison for plotting to overthrow Hitler. He knew that he was facing his own death, and still, he was able to cultivate an abundance mindset.
How do we practice gratitude? Some people like to keep a gratitude journal and write in it every morning or evening. Some people choose to meditate with gratitude. Some people share their gratitude with a friend or sit around the dinner table and share their gratitude with their family members. Some people simply remember to notice gratitude throughout their day. How will you practice the healing power of gratitude?
Let’s practice together so that, right in the midst of our regular, complicated lives, we can all experience the abundance of life this Thanksgiving.— The Reverend Jennika M. Eckhaus Borger ’98, S’01, Moravian University Chaplain