Dear Friends,
“You deserve a break today…So get up and get away to McDonald’s.” I am sure that most of you have heard this one hundred or a thousand times. I was thinking about our Sisters’ latest gathering at Villa Maria in Pennsylvania. We truly deserved a break from our ministries to gather and celebrate each other and our 150th Anniversary of the Community. Ah, we deserved it AND we got away!
Then my ticker-tape brain kept running, and I started thinking about Thanksgiving and being grateful. What is gratitude really? It is more than just polite words; it’s a way of looking at life. When we are grateful, we tend to see life as more full rather than empty. We begin to recognize all the blessings that surround us.
Being grateful not only strengthens our relationships but also reminds us that we are never alone. Living in gratitude, we remember that all our gifts come from God, drawing us closer to Him. And if you think about it, you come to realize that the blessings you receive come from another’s smile, a shared meal, or a beautiful sunset viewed with a friend—so many simple things.
Being grateful helps us create a sacred life out of an ordinary one. We can begin to notice that being thankful doesn’t change the situation or circumstances, but it changes us. What a gift! Gratitude is the gift that keeps on giving. Gratitude also motivates us to be generous, sharing the gifts we have received, whether they be material or spiritual, life-giving!
How do you define gratitude? Do you see it as a key element in your life? If not, how can you enrich your life with gratitude? If you are a grateful person, how do you sustain your attitude of gratitude? These are all quests worth visiting as we near the celebration of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving isn’t just a day; it’s a lifestyle that can keep us going even through the most challenging times. Be blessed and grateful.
Till next week,
Sister Theresita
