Dear Reader:

I was reading some thoughts from Kate Wolfe-Jenson the other day and noticed that her blog centered around gratitude also. I think that is why I love the holiday Thanksgiving so much…it makes us all pause and remember to be grateful for all our blessings.

We, particularly, owe Abraham Lincoln a big hug of gratitude for making this holiday a national one. The real crusader for this holiday, however, was a writer and editor by the name of Sarah Joseph Hale. Today most people remember her for writing the children’s classic poem “Mary had a little lamb.”

It took her thirty years of crusading and writing pleas for a national holiday of thanksgiving before finally realizing her dream come true under President Lincoln. He issued the Emancipation for the holiday on October 2, 1863….soon after the victory at Gettysburg…the turning point of the war.

He hoped, however, that this holiday would be recognized and participated in by both northern and southern factions as a unifying move towards reconciliation. Earlier Presidents (including Thomas Jefferson) considered making such a holiday a national one…but veered away from it because of the separation of state and religion clause.

As you can see in Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation…he had no such qualms about including God in proclaiming Thanksgiving a national holiday. Interesting, huh?

One of Patch Adams’ favorite quotes was:  “At the age of 18, I made up my mind to never have another bad day in my life. I dove into an endless sea of gratitude from which I’ve never emerged.”

(Don’t we all wish that the multi-talented actor, Robin Williams- who played Patch Adams in the movie- had been able to never have another bad day in his life? So sad.)

Kate Wolf-Jenson found a book that gave three important steps to immersing ourselves in daily gratitude which I liked and would like to share with you.

Rick Hanson, author of Buddha’s Brain, suggests we go a bit further to change our brains so that they, like Patch Adams, swim in a sea of gratitude. His 3-step process:

1. Notice the positive
2. Savor it – sustain it for 10 to 20 seconds, feel it in your body and emotions
3. As you soak it in, think of it as soaking into your brain and body, registering it deep in your emotional memory.

 I like to think of it as Stop, Savor, Soak

* One suggestion to use while we openly recognize a daily something we are grateful for, is to make a special sound for a grateful moment. “Woo-Hoo” works for me…(so Frances Townsend, if the police find another demented dancing middle-aged woman near your home again but this time she is shouting “Woo-Hoo” then you have definitely narrowed down the suspects!) 🙂

Even medical research has discovered that grateful people, on the whole, have healthier bodies and lives.

The Science of Gratitude

• Stronger immune systems and lower blood pressure;
• Higher levels of positive emotions;
• More joy, optimism, and happiness;
• Acting with more generosity and compassion;
• Feeling less lonely and isolated.

So until tomorrow…If you don’t want to jump or dance around “woo-hooing” for what you are grateful for….try this:

Breathing in, I notice I’m alive

Breathing out, I give thanks.

So until tomorrow…Let’s all remember the beauty of this first (feel alive) cool fall weekend…for this we give thanks.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

* Another good weekend for many of our state’s collegiate teams…lots of wins and excitement. For once Clemson let me sit back and relax and just enjoy the game…for this Clemson…me, myself, and I thank you profusely! Go Tigers! Let Your Light Shine On!