And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.
~ Luke 17:11-19
Thanksgiving Day and it is the end of the day.
Our family had the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. There were more of us this year as a wedding in the family is happening over the weekend and we have out-of-towners. There was the usual food (plenty and scrumptious), stories (varied and unending), stray gifts (birthdays and pasalubongs from the out-of-towners), photos (for FB and IG). Through it all, I was pondering, “What am I really thankful for?” Just being with family and relishing their company, I know I have a lot to be thankful for.
But, yes, what am I really thankful for?
I am thankful for the gift of life.
Because I am alive, everything else is possible.
Because I am alive, I have experienced love and happiness
with my family, my friends, my loved ones.
Because I am alive, I have also gone through difficulties
that have made me stronger and wiser;
I have suffered pain and defeat that have made the good times even better;
I have experienced the pinnacle of success as well and the depths of failure
and I came out more, better and stronger than I was before.
Today, I know I have a lot of things to be thankful for,
specially the big ones that happened in my life.
But there is greater gratitude in the small and simple things that make my life today:
a fragile flower that blooms in the little garden I tend,
the joy of picking up my grandchildren from their school in the afternoons,
to watch the sunrise creep up through my window in the morning,
to imagine the universe in a grain of sand,
to kiss eternity at the moment of the setting sun.
I am thankful that I am alive.
Because I am alive, I have received all the blessings that have defined my life.
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of life.
Thank you for the love and laughter that life has brought to me.