Give thanks

If you've watched much TV lately, you could start to get confused about what holiday is happening this week....is it the week of Thanksgiving, or is it the week of Black Friday (which is now starting on Thursday??!!)??? First, a disclosure....I LOVE shopping! I love to poke through racks of items looking for really good deals. Yet, I feel a bit bad that the Thanksgiving holiday seems to be almost overshadowed in the media with the messages of SHOP and SPEND! There is no doubt that increased consumer confidence and spending is a good indicator that our economy is slowly strengthening, but the focus on spending and stuff can lead us in a direction of feeling depleted and weighed down by our own materialism.

So, shop and have fun this weekend if you want, but please make sure to take time to recognize all that you already have. We live in abundance with no real need for most of the purchases we pursue. Be grateful. Take a moment to just sit in wonder and awe over all that you already have and have been given. Be thankful for what is truly important in life....family, friends, good health, acts of kindness, and the beauty of creation. Take a walk, say a prayer, or simple breathe and pay attention to the here and now. The present moment is full of richness and worthy of thanks. Happy Thanksgiving to all!