Thank You for Being Present!
I love this time of year! I truly do. Holidays are right around the corner, some parts of the country are already getting piles of snow, and Christmas decorations are starting to show up…
Last week we finished sending out our company Thanksgiving cards! As I was going through the list of our contacts, I kept thinking about the meaning the Thanksgiving holiday has brought to my life.
For many of you who were born in United States and are accustomed to this culture and traditions from a young age, this might not seem like a big deal, but growing up in Eastern Europe, we didn’t have this holiday, so Thanksgiving is something unique and special for me.
I’ve been thinking about why I became so fond of Thanksgiving. Yes, I do love the food (permission to brag?! … I am a good cook!) and the gathering of family, but what I love the most is that I get to reflect back on my life and be thankful for everything that I have.
Last week I attended a small conference in San Francisco — Women Advisors Forum — and one of the speakers posed a question (a very simple one, but yet so profound!):
“When are you the happiest?” Can you answer this question right away without much thought? I couldn’t!!!
As I started to think more about this, I realized that the majority of the time, I am living in the Future. Every day starts with endless to-do lists, projects to finish, meetings to attend, people to see and goals to accomplish (e.g., save money for retirement, plan next year’s vacation, afford a bigger home in 5 years, etc.).
Sound familiar?! But wait, what about “Now”?! The “Present Moment”?!
What I want to be thankful for this year is this: “Present Moment”, this “Here” and “Now.”
Here is my wish for all of you: embrace every minute of your life Now!
Yes, planning for the future is important (especially financial planning!) But what I want for you more, is to be happy Today! And the only way I know to be happy “here” and “now” is to be Thankful for what you already have.
I am Grateful I have you all in my life! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
~Anna
