American's celebrate lots of holidays in a pretty meaningless way--and in a way that does not help them better themselves. Despite the secular or religious nature of these holidays, you can give them a meaningful flavor and create an atmosphere on that day that allows you to work on self-improvement.
Thanksgiving is a good example. It's a holiday focused on giving thanks, on being grateful. We remember how the pilgrims thanked God for the great harvest they had after a long hard winter and for the friends they found in their neighbors, the American Indians. Each Thanksgiving, we remember their gratitude and enjoy a similar meal and express our thanks as well. We retell the story.
Most of us forget to express gratitude. We get stuck instead in ingratitude -- in expressing the negative, seeing what isn't working, noticing what we lack, and focusing on what we fear. We worry. We complain.
Thanksgiving offers us a wonderful opportunity to take 24 hours and practice gratitude and postive thinking--to try to form a new habit of focusing on what is working in our lives, on the good things, and on all the abundance in our lives. Even if things look dire, we can always find something for which to feel grateful -- a smile offered by a stranger, a large tip, a call from a friend, a warm place to sleep, our health.
Go even a step farther: Write a thank you note to all who have done something nice for you, who have helped you, who have loved you... Drop them in the mail on Thanksgiving so they go out with the next day's mail. (The post office is closed on the holiday.)
On a spiritual level, gratitude is the most powerful prayer you can offer to God. Try offering many prayers of gratitude on Thanksgiving. See what comes back.
To listen to a podcast about making Thanksgiving meaningful and spiritual, click here.
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