What? There’s more? Thanksgiving comes with additional benefits? – SCN Encourager

As if turkey and football aren’t enough!

But psychologists say there’s more.

(The spoil sports.)

They say folks like me who are completely content every Thanksgiving just having family and friends around the table, seeing a full plate in front of them, and watching the big games on TV are really missing out.

They say embracing the spirit of Thanksgiving every day of the year will actually help you become more creative, more intelligent, and more popular.

I can’t believe I didn’t know this until last week.

I must not have been listening for the last several decades.

More than likely I was holding out hope that some soon-to-be-released university study would reveal how the spirit of Thanksgiving was the secret key to knocking about 20 pounds off my midsection and rolling back about half that number in years.

But no such luck.

Studies show that “a grateful heart” won’t help me with any of those things.

Apparently, the fruit of a grateful heart very much belongs in the creativity, intelligence, and popularity basket.

So I’m going to try to haul in this trifecta myself this week by placing the spotlight on gratitude.

There’s no downside.

And if I don’t eventually become more creative, intelligent, and popular, at least I can count on you to pick up the slack!

One of my favorite gratitude-related quotes is this one from John E. Southard.

“The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you.”

If you spot this on the internet, you’ll note that the person referencing it typically cannot secure any information about Southard himself.

It’s strange, I know, but I think Southard has pulled off a pretty neat trick.

He’s able to write down thoughtful expressions that people crave and is an intriguing man of mystery.

I can only do this in my dreams.

No wonder I need this week’s reflections on gratitude.

I desperately need its benefits!

But I found out that digging into the topic of gratitude was more difficult than I first imagined.

In fact, I nearly decided to write about more exciting things for you instead, like Detroit sports and listening to podcasts.

What do I know about gratitude, anyway?
Why embrace it now after all of these years?
Besides, isn’t there a “fake it ’til you make it” training course around somewhere?

But then I saw this quote.

It’s attributed to Gertrude Stein, an American novelist, who lived from 1874–1946.

Unlike John E. Southard who’s relatively unknown, Stein led a colorful, controversial, and much-publicized life.

But her quote challenges us, too.

“Silent gratitude isn’t much to anyone.”

For sure, it challenges me.

Because I’ll often believe loved ones and other cherished individuals inherently know the depth of my feeling for them, even though I rarely express it.

So I thought I’d give Stein’s admonition on gratitude a trial run a few days ago,

After all, if you want to be more creative, more intelligent, and more popular, you’ve got to accept some risk, right?

So I told Cindy how much she meant to me.

She gave me a weird look, and asked if I was only talking to her in this way now so I could “write about it” later in my blog.

(Ouch. She knows me too well.)

Like I said, this gratitude business is turning out to be more difficult than I thought!

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