Thankfulness

Why is it, around the time of Thanksgiving and the holidays, when we reflect on all we are thankful for? Whenever I check my Facebook account lately, every few status updates starts with "I am thankful for...". Now I am not implying that this is wrong, untimely or inappropriate.

Quite the contrary. I'm simply questioning why we, as participants in society, aren't thankful and show our thankfulness...our appreciation...our gratitude to those around us every day?

One of the personality qualities, or rather deficits, I deplore is rudeness. Rudeness for not saying 'thank you', even for the simplest of gifts or offerings that others give us. When I started kindergarten, my mother sent me off to school every day saying, "make sure you say please and thank you to your teacher and the lunch ladies". I always did, and the lunch ladies always smiled gently at me whenever I thanked them. I grew up in the generation where we revered those adults that taught us, served us, preached to us, guided us. I grew up in the generation where I learned to appreciate the small things people did for me, the small presents I received. For in my childhood, these were the things that meant the most. And they still are.

I sometimes forget to be grateful, to be thankful. It's not out of rudeness, but rather unawareness, not being present with the here and now. Not paying attention to those things another has done for me, or others.

I am present today; am present now; and I am thankful...and to all who I have not shown or communicated my gratitude and appreciation, thank you. Thank you.