Some Things to Be Grateful For

Thanksgiving helps us reflect on the things we are most grateful for, however, it shouldn’t be limited to once a year.

Gratitude is a powerful force that can transform our lives, making us appreciate the beauty and humor in even the most ordinary and unconventional aspects of our existence.

Here are some conventional and unconventional things we can be grateful for:

Conventional Things to Be Grateful For

Family and Friends

Imagine life without your favorite people – the people who love you unconditionally and lend a sympathetic ear when you’re down. Family and friends are the ones who remind you that you’re not alone in this world.

Life and Health

Being able to wake up one more day is a gift. Unfortunately, with health, you don’t appreciate it until you lose it. So, let’s appreciate the gift of life and health for what they truly are: an opportunity to start new. As long as we are alive, we still have hope (Ecc. 9:4). 

Food

Nothing beats the dopamine hit when you try that new dish for the first time or when a recipe becomes an instant favorite. Food is also a blessing to share with those around you, showing how much you care.

Shelter

Be grateful for your cozy haven; it’s your fortress against the elements and, at times, the world. A personal sanctuary amid life’s storms, a comfy hammock for your soul to sway in the breezy chaos.

Sometimes, it means shedding things (or people) in your life that interrupt your peace, and other times, it’s a comfy corner in your home. Let’s be thankful for our sanctuaries.

Unconventional Things to Be Grateful For:

Laughter

The universal language of joy, an infectious melody that can bring a little ray of sunshine into an otherwise gloomy day.

Laughter helps to soften the blow of the hard times, and it’s preferable to having misery as a companion. Proverbs 17:22 – “A joyful heart is good medicine,
but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Your quirks and idiosyncrasies

Embracing your quirks and idiosyncrasies is like wearing a radiant garment woven from the threads of your uniqueness. My biggest quirk is turning everything into a system. Everything requires a system!

Rest

Rest is that blissful escape to the dream world where you can recharge your mind, body, and soul. Psalms 4:8 “In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”

For those of us who follow the Christian faith, Jesus is our source of guidance and hope. Christianity teaches us to be thankful for the simple things in life and to be kind, turn the other cheek, and live a Godly life to the best of our ability. 

So, in saving the best for last, our greatest gratitude comes from God above

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.

Psalm 46

How about you? What are you grateful for?