By Joanne Byrne
Retired and Rejuvenated
Joanne Byrne.
What does it mean to be thankful? As we approach Thanksgiving, let’s take some time to think about the discipline of being thankful and consider some ways we can grow in our thankfulness.
There are many teachable examples, but one that comes immediately to my mind is from the Bible: Luke 17:11-19. It is the story of the 10 lepers who were cured, but only one returned to say thank you. What happened to the other nine? Perhaps it was a matter of these nine just not getting lessons from those older than themselves: their parents, their grandparents. Yes, being grateful is a teachable skill and one that each one of us can develop more fully in our lives.
What are the obvious things we have to be thankful for? Our health is one. Even if it isn’t great, it could be much worse and we all still have some working parts for which to be thankful. Having money in the bank, even if it is a few coins, makes you richer that a lot of people on earth. We are thankful for good friends, and we hope and pray that once we are over the COVID-19 pandemic, we will once again be able to enjoy their friendship even more. Living in a country where we have freedom of religion should be on our thankful list.
Just recently we participated in one of our greatest freedoms, exercising our right to vote. This right was fought for by many people who came before us, and it is a right that is still elusive to some members of our society. This November we witnessed the highest voting turnout of any American presidential election. My heart was warmed when I heard comments from some voters who said it was the first time they voted and how happy and proud it made them feel. We are definitely thankful for this freedom.
This year especially we have a great sense of gratitude for all the health care providers who gave of their lives and often, their own personal safety, to protect and care for those affected by the coronavirus. Staff who came to work every day in grocery stores and other essential services deserve our gratitude this Thanksgiving season. We are thankful to those who have protected our lives, our property, our cities and towns from unnecessary harm.
We know that practicing gratitude can help us better manage stress and increase feelings of happiness and wellbeing. One of the best ways to enjoy the benefits of gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal. Whether you write in it at night or first thing in the morning is up to you. Sometimes all we need is a list of a few questions to trigger our memory and get those ideas flowing.
Here are some to get you started: What aspects of your town or neighborhood are you grateful for? What have others done in your life that you value? Who is someone who really listens when you talk? What is the best thing about your home, and have you taken the time to enjoy it recently? What is something you look forward to in the future? What is a hard lesson that you were grateful to learn? What about today has been better than yesterday? How have you used your talents recently? What made you laugh or smile today? What is one thoughtful thing someone did for you recently?
In the wise words of GK Chesterton, “When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.”
Joanne Byrne served as Senior Services Coordinator for the Town of Orange. She is now actively and happily retired. Email her at joannebyrne41@gmail.com to share your thoughts on retirement.