What does Thanksgiving mean? According to Wikipedia, “Families and friends gather for a reunion, a day of thanks, and a festive meal”. However, one day of thanks is not meant to be the true spirit of our inner souls. We should be thankful everyday for something even as small as the smell of fresh coffee brewing in the morning or the children laughing and having fun.
We get so caught up with our daily schedules that we really don’t take the time to be thankful each day or even throughout the day. It’s no wonder with so many readily available comfort features such as the remote control, telephone, heating & air, or my favorite, a massage chair. But am I truly thankful when I use the massage chair? I recall complaining about how it does not reach a particular spot on my back instead of how I should be thankful to have a massage chair. This is what we all tend to do, we take many things for granted, much like the time we lost power for weeks due to past hurricanes. Boy, were we thankful when it came back on and we could take warm showers again.
Thanksgiving is truly a wonderful day that our entire nation can take advantage of with everyone giving thanks on the same day. It’s also a day that we can take advantage of our planet and future. Imagine the impact this would have on our environment with so much positive energy in one day. I recently attended a Green Conference and was quite amazed at how we are truly taking so much from the environment without giving back. This is already impacting us all, especially the future for our children. However, there is still hope if we all start within our own homes, offices, vehicles, or why not discuss and share this on Thanksgiving Day!
What a perfect family project to share with each other while also showing the children how to be energy conscious. I challenge everyone to take 15-30 minutes on Thanksgiving Day to give thanks to mother earth by doing one, or better yet all of the following:
Change every light bulb in your home with Energy Star CFL bulbs. See what your city or state is doing? Take the pledge at www.energystar.gov Purchase fresh organic foods for your Thanksgiving feast. Also look for the Fair Trade Certified labels on items. Need help with your earth friendly feast? www.wholefoodsmarket.com Conserve water by not washing clothes or vehicles on Thanksgiving Day. Everyone team together to hand wash and put away all the dinner dishes instead of using the dishwasher.
Of course you can add to the list but the thought of us all giving thanks to our mother earth for nurturing and supporting us goes well beyond the reunion of immediate family and friends. Go beyond Thanksgiving Day by taking a few moments each day to be thankful for something even if it’s being able to make it home through rush hour. Whatever you give back in thanks will always come to you in some small or large way.
Kandi Phillips
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