Thankfulness is a feeling of gratitude, an expression of thanks and the Thanksgiving season causes us to pause from busy schedules to reflect on the people and circumstances that have made our lives fruitful.
The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 when the Pilgrims celebrated a good harvest. Today, the meaning of harvest is reflected differently. What once meant a time of the year when a crop was gathered or reaped as the consequence of great toil and effort we give thanks for our harvest in family, friends, achievement and health.
When I prepare to set my Thanksgiving table I can’t help but reflect on the family traditions set forth by my mother (who has difficulty setting her table now). She insisted on cultivating gratefulness in our home growing up and every holiday dinner her labor of love produced a feast to be remembered.
I’m thankful for her example and her servants heart toward all kinds of people, not just those in the family. Most of all, I’m thankful for her unconditional love and the harvest that it has produced in my life.
