Thanksgiving seems to be a time for taking stock. How are we doing? What are we thankful for?

 I have a habit of looking at old notebooks, old cards, saved letters. They remind me what and who I was grateful for. And, affording me a smile, sometimes who was grateful for me.

A few days ago, I came across a quote which, apparently, years back had captured my attention. It is by Ralph Waldo Emerson.  He says:

“I am thankful for small mercies. I compared notes with one of my friends who expects everything of the universe and is disappointed when anything is less than the best, and I found that I begin at the other extreme, expecting nothing, and am always full of thanks for moderate goods.”

It made me wonder, have we come to expect too much too soon? For too little investment on our part.

We ‘old people’ love to smile among ourselves about our young survival days.  Now, in later years, we see them as growing pains. We didn’t expect much, so anything good and unexpected was a pleasant gift. A surprise.

Today it seems we, and I include myself, expect so much of others, of ourselves, of life.  Makes me wonder if we’re robbing ourselves of the amazing element of surprise. Of gratitude.  I will ponder this as I take stock this Thanksgiving.

In the meantime, thank you Mr. Emerson for reminding us to be full of thanks for moderate goods.  And, to my mother, who constantly urged that we be thankful for small mercies.  Somehow, she was always right. Why did it take so long to realize that, and be thankful.

May this year give you much for which to be thankful.

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