What a meaningful Thanksgiving looks like to me

What can you do to make this Thanksgiving a meaningful holiday? Do you recall a situation when you gave a gift or complimented someone, but they did not thank you? Did you feel something was missing? Later, if that person came back and said, thanks, did you feel a sense of completion to that transaction of giving and receiving? If your attitude was affected, it also got restored, didn’t it?

Likewise, if you hurt someone, and walk away, do you feel the incompleteness of the transaction? But when you say sorry to that person, the ‘bother’ escapes you, a burden off you.
As a spiritualist, I would say, for every wrong we do, an equal amount of energy drains from us, and for every good we do, energy recoups.

Thanksgiving day is an opportunity to square things, and express gratitude to those who have done some good to you; a word of encouragement, a smile, recommendation, a dollar when you needed, and all the little things. Our life scale tilts with those receiving – by giving to others, you will regain your balance.

The accountant chants the mantra that for every debit there is a credit; the physicist has proved that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, and the doctor declares, that blood loss from the body of an individual must be replenished with blood to sustain life.

 

For every hurt we hurl on others, an equal amount of burden gets dumped on us, and until we say sorry and repent genuinely, the energy balance within us deteriorates. If you accumulate a whole lot of these incomplete transactions, it will have its effect on you. Today is one of the few days in a year, you have that opportunity, particularly with family.
Life is a self-balancing act; everything we do and say moves the needle from balance to imbalance, and back to balance.

The mechanism functions around forgiveness, repentance, service, and gratitude. These values are a product of co-existence inculcated through religious teachings; however, the atheists would also achieve the same without invoking God. If you wish to read the 12 values that make the world a better place, check out chapter 16 in the new book, American Muslim Agenda – available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kindle, and other outlets.

 

How can you make your holiday meaningful?

From the first breath to the last, we are walking on a thin wire. It is the act of falling in for temptations and resisting them, saying wrong words and apologizing, and it is about regretting and cherishing what is wrong and what is right. Life is about getting hurt and recovering, losing income and figuring out how to meet ends, falling into depression and getting out of it, feeling sad, and attempting to be happy.
Most of us succeed! We have seen bad days, and if we are stuck in it at this time, a year from now it will be our history. We are alive today, aren’t we? All those good and bad happenings are a part of our story. We thought each one of the difficulties was unbearable, but we have endured all of them. Remember how many of them are bygones.
Expression of gratitude is the ultimate balancing act in everyone’s life. We know whom we receive the good from and offer our appreciation. The absence of a simple thank-you creates an imbalance in the relationship and spiritual energy, while a simple thank you restores it.

 

 

We need to be considerate of those who did not have a good childhood, youth, adulthood, or retirement. Let’s be kind to those who are struggling to take care of themselves and fighting for a square meal. The least we can do is show that know that we care.
There is no one out there who can claim that he or she walked into the world on his own, nor is there anyone who can say, I walked myself into the grave. We all need help and help others who need it. That’s how it functions.

 
The least you can do

 
Whenever you get a moment, start thinking about the people who helped you at home, school, workplace, public space, library, bus, metro, and other places. Please make an effort to review your life movie as you are driving, taking a shower or sitting on the crown. Let it not be an effort, whoever comes to your mind is fine, if they don’t that’s fine too. You feel good about thinking about them; the mere thoughts are an expression of gratitude. Those who have wronged you, forgive them, let them be free, but more than them, you will be free.

The most you can do:

Don’t lose enthusiasm due to a large number of people you have to thank, and you can do it by carrying a piece of paper and writing down the names as they pop in your mind. Even if you don’t get a chance to call everyone on the list, you have already expressed your gratitude by writing and thinking about them. When we show our appreciation to the person who has made a difference in our lives, it brings a ton of relief. It’s ours to keep. Call them a few if you can, just to thank you for a specific act, word or support. Keep it short – talk and listen in equal proportion.

If you don’t believe in God, that is fine, and it is still a release when you say thanks to the invisible good that came to you un-asked.

If you are a single or empty nester and nowhere to go, call up Salvation Army, a hospital or a homeless shelter and volunteer your services. There is joy in serving others.

 

As the Jewish Scriptures say, Ve’ahavta la’ger — you must love the stranger for that guaranteed happiness. Prophet Jesus, Peace Be Upon Him, reached out to the ones who were abandoned by society. Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him, said the least you can give to others is a smile. The Hindu Scriptures guide you to treat the whole world as one family. Buddha, the learned one, taught the joys of living for others. The Sikh faith work on the principle of serving humanity. The Jains and Baha’i believe our happiness comes from taking care of others. The Native Americans and Wicca think we have to take care of what we see around us and preserve it for the next seven generations, life, and the matter. With malice toward none is good advice from Mahatma Lincoln to follow.

Happy Thanksgiving

Most people say thanks without fail, those who miss out on a few things; we have an opportunity to reflect on this Thanksgiving Day. When you express your gratitude to the persons who have made a difference in your life, it brings a ton of relief to you. Make an effort and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with it. May you be blessed to be a blessing to others. Amen! God bless America