TTBG #5: Thankful All Through The Year

Thanksgiving weekend is truly special time during the year. Much of society has become so consumed in the "now-now-now" of life that we neglect to recognize the things in our world that are important to us.

I've been blessed with some truly special people in my life - friends from home, friends from school, coworkers and, most importantly, family. And when it comes to a weekend that is fully dedicated to these people, it is easy for me to appreciate all that they have done for me. This Thanksgiving was no exception as I was fortunate enough to spend it with my girlfriend's family in Massachusetts, marking the fourth different Thanksgiving location in the last five years for me. Whether Boston, D.C. or Athens, I've had the good fortune of having people I care about to share the weekend with.

But as I lie in bed on a Sunday night before returning to the workweek and the hustle and bustle that comes with it, I can't help but feel like the good memories and appreciation that I have felt this weekend will disappear the second I start replying to emails. It isn't as if I choose to allow this to happen; life just starts to pick up the pace again and it becomes harder to slow down enough and give that thanks all year long.

Thanksgiving shouldn't be seen as the best opportunity to really demonstrate how much we value people and places in our lives. Thanksgiving should be the reminder that we need to be doing it every day of the year. We have the holiday to give us an in-your-face sign that we always need to take a look around and see that our life gives us much for which to be thankful.

Call a friend who you haven't heard from in a while. Shoot an email to the family. Write a letter to your grandparents. It doesn't matter the delivery mode; it matters that you take the time and effort to show you care. And you'll find that people appreciate it even more in the months of April and May as they do November and December.

Love and gratitude don't simply have to be sequestered to a few weekends out of the year. Let them flourish and keep the world thankful all through the year.