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I love Thanksgiving and I love flowers. Tulips are my favorite.
Many years ago, during a challenging season of life, I secretly prayed and longed for a bouquet of flowers. I went about my day doing the grocery shopping and came out to my car and found a perfectly wrapped bouquet of yellow tulips on the ground in front of my driver’s side door! I looked around to see if anyone noticed or accidently dropped them. I waited a few minutes and finally decided it was an answer to my prayer. Tearfully, I picked up the bouquet and offered up a “thank you.”
My positive psychology training planted seeds of truth in regard to the practice of gratitude and the science supporting the intervention. I also have been drawn to the thankfulness of life through my struggle with infertility and the birth of my quadruplets. I learned not to take anything for granted. I learned the practice of gratitude increases well-being, boosts immunity and guards against comparison.
I was so passionate about it, I published a book titled Savor the Day; a journal to inspire gratitude and savoring in daily life.
Every year, I present gratitude traditions to our Thanksgiving holiday celebration and savor every minute.
We have done the thankful “ABC’s”. For every letter of the alphabet we say a gratitude for something that begins with that letter. We have played gratitude ping pong and toss a ping pong ball to anyone in the room and they have to say what they are grateful for. We have a gratitude tree and hang written gratitudes on the tree everyday for the month of November. Our CC4C leadership team is sending two gratitude messages a week to our community.
This year, I am adding one for personal practice.
It is called the thankful bouquet.
As I go through the day, I will look for tiny treasures strategically placed along my way. I will look carefully for them, and pluck them one by one.
Maybe it is a hot cup of coffee first thing in the morning, or a loving word from a friend or family member. Maybe it is sleeping soundly or watching the sunrise. Maybe it is peace in my heart. Maybe it is safe travel and joy in the process. Or a smile to someone who appears sad or lonely.
Maybe it is the connection from one of our TRIBE parents or a loving response from my social post I thought no one would notice. Maybe it is a random donation to our non-profit or an encouraging note from a board member. And maybe it is a short reflection and acknowledgement of myself for taking one more step forward on my journey.
The types of “flowers” are endless. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They all matter. I just have to be aware and open. With each one I can express gratitude. And at the end of the day I will have gathered a lovely thankful bouquet. I will sleep peacefully with thankful thoughts flooding my heart and mind.
A simple and powerful practice for this beautiful holiday.
So as we embrace this season, let’s commit to cultivating an attitude of gratitude, not just for what we receive, but for the beautiful community we have built together. Each small act of thankfulness can create ripples of positivity that extend far beyond ourselves.
Join me in the "Thankful Bouquet" challenge! For the rest of November, let's collect our own bouquets of gratitude. Share your daily "flowers" on social media using the hashtag #ThankfulBouquet.
Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift.
2 Corinthians 9:15
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