Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Gratitude: A Key To Kids' Success

Are you grateful? Really, are you grateful?

I had a conversation recently... how do we really show our gratitude, how do we really want to show our gratitude?

I am asking that question to myself, all the time, lately.

I am wondering if I am the person who I really want to be. Am I the role model I want for my children. Am I "showing" them how to be grateful and why?

This holiday season, I often get caught up in the rush to get things done because there is so much I want to do. So much I want to do with my kids. So much because I am telling myself and I know that message is getting reinforced by the media, friends, and the environment in general, that in order to have a fun and meaningful Christmas I have to do these things.

By "doing" all these things, am I really being "grateful"?

As I have time to reflect and disconnect from the urgency of the holiday season, I realize I am missing something.

I am missing the time to sit and snuggle with my kiddos, I am missing the rest, comfort, love and joy by sitting with loved ones at night and watching the snow fall and listening to holiday music.
I am missing the quiet and calmness of being together.

I think sometimes I get so busy trying to express my gratitude, I loose the message in the gratitude.

How about you?

3 comments:

apageor2 said...

There is a couple that are quite special and has done a few things for my husband and I over the years. Anyway, due a knee replacement surgery they were having difficulty cooking. So I said to my husband, how about we bring over what we have since we have plenty and my husband thought it was a great idea as it was just the two of us. So we carefully packed up everything, loaded up our Dodge Ram and off we went for the delivery. It was nice to deliver a dinner with a fancy dessert to someone who has been so helpful over the years. As I said to my girl friend and this year you aren't even doing the dishes as her husband did them.

Creative Junkie said...

ACK - I could have written this. As you know, Jen ... I tend to get just a little tense/anxious/stressed out/whatever around the holidays. I am constantly forgetting about the real meaning of the season because I get bogged down in the details.

Thank you for a timely reminder!

Groovy Baby Blog said...

We love this article about gratitude, we agree it's so important for everyone to remember and to enjoy every moment we have with our loved ones. Great Blog!

-Angela & Angelica