GRATITUDE

Buckle Up! Here we go again, full steam ahead into the eye of the storm that has enveloped social graces - the Season of Rudeness, the most impolite time of the year! Hustle and Bustle will stomp courteous behavior like a stampede. Too many people with too much to do in too little time. It is as inevitable as disheveled toy aisles at Walmart the day after Christmas. Soldiers of social graces will feel weather-beaten by all the bad manners on display, like blinking holiday lights.
So as we prepare to roll out the holiday season with turkey and stuffing, and with friends and family, let us take pause to count our blessings. A number of years ago, Oprah introduced the idea of the gratitude journal. Our family incorporated the notion into nightly dinners. After grace, each person spoke of something they were grateful for, however big or small. It caught on, and is as much a part of our mealtime today as the napkins and utensils.
The 'Thank-you' is the most basic of courtesies in the language of good manners, and while it will be the centerpiece and cornerstone of Thanksgiving Day, make gratitude a part of everyday, Black Friday, Christmas Eve, New Year's Day. There are times when we all feel otherwise, but each of us is blessed beyond measure. Count your blessings, including the gift of good manners - and then pass it on, like the cranberry dish that will make the rounds Thursday. It will make the coming weeks more pleasant and important, and it DOES Manner A lot! Happy Thanksgiving All - and thank you for your loyalty to this blog and its mission.
Lisa