As Thanksgiving Day approaches we are often encouraged to be grateful during this season for all that is.  In looking back at things in order to deepen the gratitude I was thinking about all the interesting things that life brings.  There were many “grateful” like moments in the year, times when a loved one was close and supportive, when I was given an opportunity to positively impact the life of someone, times my children did something so dynamic that it brought me to tears, moments I looked up and notice the absolute beauty of the day or received a wonderful call, clients or other items that put me in a state of gratitude.  BUT I wonder about the other moments, the moments of pure disappointment or a tide in your life dramatically shifts in a direction that creates uncertainty, was I grateful for those?  Are we ever taught to be thankful for the challenges that allow us to grow stronger?  I think in the challenging moments we may not be grateful because they produce other emotions such as stress, fear or anxiety and yet sometimes in reflecting back it is those very moments that our life might have changed to a better direction or became open to something that without that challenging moment we would have never experienced something incredible.

In looking back over the year and thinking of so many wonderful people I know I think this year was full of many of those challenging moments that then moved us into something amazing.  For so many families in this great nation it is a challenging season due to the pressures of the economy and stresses that come along with that but with that also comes a very deepening understanding of what is truly important.  Some of the things that come to mind are the importance of true relationships, the value of good communication, the freedom of self honesty to your spirit, the identifying of strength and power of loved ones.   As we move through these challenging times I cannot help but think of what true blessings come from building through the challenges and learning that maybe the statement “the best things in life are free” really is truer than we ever knew.  I am so grateful for this year and for all the incredible people that I am so very blessed to have been involved with.  I just think that maybe this holiday season we not only say thank you  for what is great but that we take a moment to be thankful for the opportunities that came within the challenges.

With my deepest gratitude I wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving.