Hello, hello!

I’m always trying to think of ways to make my children understand the importance of gratitude, which is one of the reasons Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  In years past, we’ve gone around the table and articulated one-by-one what we were grateful for.  And this year I’ve been on the hunt for crafts that will help my kids understand the importance of gratitude and giving back.

Along the same lines, I thought finding some wonderful quotes that resonate would be a great addition to our family’s Thanksgiving day meal.  Below, I list the quotes I’ve found and explain why I like them.  Please let me know if any of you have any others!

1. “A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues.” – Cicero 

Cicero’s quote emphasizes that being grateful is the basis for being a humble, kind and happy person.

2. “If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get.” – Frank A. Clark 

Gratitude is a state of mind, not a reflection for what we have.

3. “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice.” – Meister Eckhart 

As a Mom who echoes herself ALL DAY LONG with the request: “did you say thank you?”, this quote resonated with me.  By saying thank you, we recognize others, we give them importance, we tell them that they matter.  Saying thank you is such a simple thing, but to me it’s the cornerstone of kindness and respect.

4. “Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.” – W.J. Cameron 

For some Americans, Thanksgiving means a vacation from work, a lot of good food, and rushing to the stores at midnight to get the best Black Friday bargains. But let’s not forget that Thanksgiving is not only a day but also an word describing the action of giving thanks.  So on this day we do more than eat and enjoy each other’s company, we try to recognize, respect, applaud, appreciate, savor, and be together while saying thanks for all we’ve been given.

5. “It is impossible to be negative while we are giving thanks” – Donald Curtis 

Giving thanks means recognizing something outside of us, bigger than us.  It means learning not to take for granted all the good things that we do have.  So truly if you are giving thanks, you are not negatively wishing for what could be; rather, you are appreciating what is: the now, the present, what exists, what you hold before you, what you enjoy.  You enjoy because you are not lacking but appreciating.

With all that said (and forgive me if the philosophy major in me has been popping up in this post) we’re wishing you — my family to yours — a very a blessed Thanksgiving!  I hope you enjoyed these inspirational quotes and please consider sharing them with your children.  At the very least, they’ll start a conversation.

If you have any more Thanksgiving ideas or short inspirational quotes, please send them my way in the comments below!

Gratefully,

Melissa