(Only) Saying, 'Thank You'

With yesterday being Thanksgiving, there have been lots of notes and stories about gratitude circling, including how it’s good for health, etc. All of which is wonderful!

It reminded me of a friend who told me earlier this year, “I’m practicing saying ‘thank you,’” As in, only saying “thank you.” When someone gives a compliment, holds open a door, whatever it may be. To simply say “thank you,” without an apology, without an excuse, without rushing to follow up with context like where something was bought, or negation like how it’s actually so messy, without even quickly returning it with a “you, too.” To just meet and receive what’s given with, “Thank you.” And that’s all.

So, thank you for receiving this after all this time; for reading this.

Gratitude is a choice

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and I woke up and went to bed reflecting on what my friend Brooke often says: “Gratitude is a choice.”

I spent the day mostly offline, not having to work (grateful), with family and family friends (grateful), cooking and enjoying a fresh, healthy meal (grateful), doing Zumba with my lifelong neighbor and friend for an hour, her leading a class of all ages, all of us dancing, smiling, shaking it out (grateful).

How am I grateful? Let me count the ways…

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's a blessing to have it around me

My friend Ryan is someone who has the incredible ability to get as excited about wonderful things happening in her loved ones’ lives as she is in her own. And she’s made a practice of it, too. She’s supported me in celebrating big moments, helping me to see and celebrate them even more than I would have—as much as she’s been there for me during difficult ones. I think there’s something so special, selfless and beautifully abundant about that.

One time when I was on the phone with her, I shared some good news about another good friend, someone she’s never met. She took it in, appreciating it with an “mmm,” and then said something I think of often and repeat, years later. “I remind myself it’s a blessing to have it around me.” I’d never heard anyone express appreciation in such a wide way, two connections away.

We can often get so caught up in how something is showing up for us, especially when it’s something we really want. That thing, just for us, only for us and not to be shared. We’re so focused on that, that we miss all the ways and forms in which it’s so present in our lives already. I think there’s a lot of culture-of-the-individual and competitive programming around this, but (and) it can be peeled back. Because when it’s around us, these good, desired, beautiful things, these blessings, we share in it, too. It’s also ours to appreciate, ours to celebrate.

For Rainbow Ryan, who is as incredible a healer as she is a friend, and who truly is a blessing to have around me, even though we’ve yet to meet in person!