Time To Give Thanks
Thanksgiving is my favorite time of the year.
This Saturday morning my wife cooked two turkeys for a charity event and the smell of those baked turkeys was unbelievable. Besides celebrating Thanksgiving, we will also be celebrating my Mom’s 92nd birthday. Over 42 years ago my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer and today she is as vibrant and involved as any person her age you ever met. I am so thankful to still have her in my life.
Our Thanksgiving table will be full of family and friends joining together to give thanks for the blessings that have been given us. I can just smell the turkey & dressing, mash potatoes and the caramel pie.
Unfortunately, not everyone in our community will be with family during this holiday season. Some folks are homeless or in prison, some are serving our country in the military, some are isolated from their family, some families are separated by distance and some families are simply too poor to do much special for the Holidays. This is when the rest of us need to step in. Consider inviting someone to your Thanksgiving table this week that has no other place to go...maybe an elderly person down the street or a family living in a homeless shelter. You will be surprised how good you feel when you share your “gifts” with others.
During this time of year, it is good to remember that frequently the greatest thing we can give to another person -- family member, friend, fellow employee, acquaintance, and stranger -- is the gift of encouragement, appreciation and kindness. Since these gifts are free we don’t have to worry about costs. The more we give away these gifts, the more we get them returned to us…it is funny how that works!
I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!
About Me
Steve Roling
President/CEO
Steve Roling is the President/CEO of the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City. Each week he blogs about issues that inspire him as we work toward eliminating barriers to quality health.
Comments
Thank you Steve! Your Blog is so RICH to read. Your Thanksgiving dinner sounds delicious and so much fun.
We often think of basic human needs as food, clothing, and shelter. While I would agree with that, I would also agree that a basic human need is for a person to be loved, cared for, and appreciated. Thank you again for that reminder. We should all remember all year long to reach out and dignify every human being we encounter!
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