Blog: A Forgotten Thanks?

I have to admit I am a strange woman. I do not like shopping. 

I only go when necessary for the things I need or as a socializing event with my girlfriends. About twice a year I go by myself to waste time for "see what I can’t buy" window shopping. 

Even when I do get into these moods, I usually go to a thift store such as Goodwill or a consignment shop because I believe it is better for the earth to reuse things. So I was shocked and amazed to see Christmas decorations in my local store before Halloween.

It was rows of Christmas decorations! I went back to the seasonal department just to check out Halloween decorations and I saw these decorations, trees and everything set up for the Christmas season. Since I was wasting time, I looked at the ornaments to see if there is anything to add to my collection. I still couldn’t believe everything was out.

In the same week the local radio station started talking about playing Christmas music, soliciting its listeners to call in and tell them when to start playing.  My first thought was oh no! Not Christmas music.  They need to start playing it the day before Christmas.

I am not anti-Christmas; I just think that Christmas doesn’t feel like Christmas anymore when we spend two months celebrating it. We get to Christmas day and it marks the end of the season instead of the beginning that it was designed to set off. I notice trees in the trash on Dec. 26 in the city. What ever happened to bringing home the wreath and tree on the Dec. 24 and having it throughout January as portrayed in "It’s a wonderful Life?"

In my family tradition was to set up the tree during Thankgiving break on black Friday and take it down after the New Year. But now they are being set up even before Thanksgiving. I noticed in my local food store the tree was already up in all its splendor just a few days after Halloween  This is when I complained to myself about us totally skipping Thanksgiving thinking why are we pushing Christmas? Have we forgotten to be thankful?

My path of thought took me to the heart of people. Are we truly materialistic looking for the time when we only get gifts? Do we as people skip over the thankfulness in our lives? Has Thanksgiving become a holiday of just sharing food or are we taking even a moment out of the day to be thankful? Of course at the stores it is all about commercialism, but what is in our hearts as a people?

I know that I live a thankful life on a daily basis. It is a strong component to maintaining a healthy spirit. I have been enjoying the beautiful colors of the leaves this autumn and been thanking God for such gifts as I look out at various shades of reds, yellows and oranges. I think I am happy to live here where there are so many trees and we go through the change of seasons. Last night I got a chance to act like a child and stomp in a pile of leaves to enjoy what was given. At that time I was not only thankful for the fun pile but also for my health to be able to play. 

As a metaphysical doctor I help people learn to be grateful. Here is one little thing. Try it and see how it changes your life. 

Before going to bed write three to five thingsto be grateful down, things that happened to you that lifted your heart or things that you thought about that made you happy during the day. Then spend a few minutes talking to God (or the universe if you do not believe in God) about those few things, just saying thank you or if you feel like it share some details of why it made you feel happy. Then slip off to sleep. See how you feel in the morning and what type of dreams you've had. 

This is a practice you need to do daily for long-term effects to take place. We can even be grateful for things that seem bad in our lives. If you want to learn how to express this graditude even of bad things or you can't get three things on a daily basis see your local metaphysical doctor.

I still wonder though have we as a people forgotten to be thankful?  So I turn it back to you to comment on how you express thankfulness during your Thanksgiving holiday. Let me know if it is just a shared meal or if there is really thankfulness. I want to know if we as a people group are skipping over the holiday and its significance.

Linda Bender is a metaphysical doctor trained as a medical intuitive. She uses over 20 life coaching and touch therapy techniques from Reiki to personal training to help you reduce stress and pain so your body invokes its natural healing ability. She is at on Church Street in Phoenixville. See www.BenderHealing.com or call 800-706-1354 for more information.