A Grateful Thanksgiving

In The Return Of The Prodigal Son, Henry Nouwen pens some of my favorite passages. He writes, "The discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that all I am and have is given to me as a gift of love, to be celebrated with joy. Gratitude as a discipline involves a conscious choice." Yesterday at the gym, I paused to chat with a fellow gymmie friend. She asked about my welfare, and stated how glad she was to see me. I glanced around the weight room, my thoughts forming words of resentment and fear. Instantly, I knew I could either voice complaints over my health, my limitations, the economy, or I could simply say, thank you, it's nice to see you too.  Henri Nouwen also states, "Resentment and gratitude cannot co-exist, since resentment blocks the perception of life as a gift." I like that, life as a gift. Thanksgiving is an opportune time to reflect on the discipline of gratitude. I have much to be thankful for. Even though my husband groans every fall as he retrieves our rake, I love, love,  the leaves carpeting the ground, the deck, the brilliant reds and golds, the shapes and mounds of splendid color. My grandchildren make my heart do cartwheels. I have eyes to see, hands to feel, I am mobile, I do not have a scooter yet. I have a job, a good marriage, wonderful children, a home and a refrigerator filled with food. To quote Henri Nouwen once again, "Acts of gratitude make one grateful because, step by step, they reveal that all is grace." I thanked my gymmie friend yesterday, and asked after her own welfare. It was a step, and once more I caught a glimpse of how much my choices matter. And maybe one day my pace will outdistance all resentments, until every breath is an expression of gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving.