Thankful. Just a single word, yet it carries a world of meaning. In different moments, it wears the mask of gladness or contentment. Sometimes it shines through as simple satisfaction, or as the light of pure joy. Ah, joy—that feeling that dances in our hearts and reminds us how deeply we can feel!

Now, as the season of gratitude arrives, our minds drift toward the people, moments, and experiences that fill us with thanks. And when we pause, our minds reflect on the countless reasons to feel grateful. But this reflection also uncovers the moments we wished would never come—the painful, disappointing or even tragic events that life sometimes places in our path. Life sometimes throws a chaotic assortment of events our way, leaving us to wonder what will happen next.

In the rush of daily life, it’s easy to be swept away by the powerful current of public opinion about this, that and the other. We often find ourselves without the time or space to pause and reflect, pulled along by the tide of outside perspectives. Left with a gnawing uneasiness like a desperate parent searching for their child in a confusing crowd of faceless people.

Yet, making room for careful thought is crucial, if only to protect our own peace of mind. In a world so often marked by uncertainty and unrest, taking that time allows us to stay grounded, helping us to find clarity and calm amid the noise.

There in the quiet calm we appreciate the good things, and how there is so much more of those than the others, the bad things.

Let’s be thankful for another day. To paraphrase the words of one of Intel Corporation’s founding fathers, go out and do something wonderful with it. Each day provides an opportunity to do something good for someone who may pass along a thankful nod to another. Who then may do the same to another. Imagine the ripple effect our showing of thankfulness can have.

Thankful. Just a single word.

© Marc Townsend