Gratitude is in high supply at this time of year and it gives us the perfect opportunity to shine our Light of compassion and consciousness into the world. Consider making your contribution personal–whether you are concerned with social responsibility, animal rights or family bonding there is a way you can share your unique Light with others. Here are some ways you can make a difference this Thanksgiving season:
- Donate items to a food pantry–To make it even more special, make them items needed for a holiday feast like stuffing, scalloped potatoes or canned veggies. Shop together as a family and educate your children as to the importance of giving to those in need.
- Teach your children about the first Thanksgiving–Even if you have discussed it before, our common history bears repeating! Talk about where the pilgrims may have feasted with the American Indians, what foods they might have eaten and how they were generously shared from one culture to another.
- Sponsor a feathered friend–If animal rights is your passion, you can adopt a turkey for just $30- and save an innocent life! At http://www.adoptaturkey.org/ you can sponsor a feathered friend, get great vegetarian recipes and hear from others who support cruelty-free holidays.
- Invite others to share your joy–If you have a friend without family nearby, consider inviting him or her to join you for dinner. Often those spending a holiday alone won’t want to intrude on your gathering. By extending an offer first, you can help others know that when it comes to celebrating, it’s truly “the more, the merrier!”
- Volunteer at a soup kitchen–People who have made this a family tradition swear by it as one of the most fulfilling ways to celebrate. Simply contact your city’s homeless shelter or Mission and inquire as to how you can help. Whether you serve alongside your family or volunteer solo, the lives you touch will make it worth every minute–and remind you of how much you have to be grateful for this year!
- Opt for a vegetarian feast–Going vegetarian for Thanksgiving means enjoying tasty new recipes, contributing to animal welfare and easing the stress of the animals-for-food industry on our environment. Your simple choice can make a difference in our ecology and in the life of an innocent animal. What a loving way to celebrate!
- Take a meal to an elderly neighbor–Many senior citizens spend the holidays alone and most will not bother to cook a holiday feast for one. You can share the love by inquiring ahead as to whether or not they will be receiving a meal for Thanksgiving. If they will not, you can brighten someone’s holiday by simply making an extra plate and taking it to them in time for lunch or supper. What else were you going to do with all that extra stuffing, anyway?!
Regardless of how you choose to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, be sure to always focus on the theme of the day: gratitude. Take time with you loved ones to share what you are most grateful for whether you do so around the table, over the phone, or at bedtime that night. We all know that the more we give the more we get, so affirming our blessings not only opens the heart, it assures there is always an abundance of goodness to come!
Happy holidays from our family to yours!
Grace and Clarity 