Always cultivate a grateful heart.

While I'll be uploading a "Thanksgiving Makeup" post shortly, I also wanted to tell everyone "Happy Thanksgiving!" I spent the day with my family: stuffing my face at my aunt and uncle's house, visiting my papaw's grave with my dad, and now I am curled up with one very spoiled pig in front of the fireplace.

Let's just reflect a bit on the meaning of Thanksgiving, because I know that we probably all take away a different meaning from it. Some of us overeat and feel sick off of turkey, stuffing, and too many mashed potatoes with gravy. Some of us can't celebrate it because we might not have a large or festive family, or even the means to prepare and gorge on an elaborate meal. And for those of us who have been blessed with family traditions on holidays our whole lives, we take for granted these special moments with our loved ones.

We can't imagine a day when those very people who have made these traditions and those days special will cease to exist. I dealt with this last fall when my papaw passed away. I'd known subconsciously that there'd be a day when he wouldn't be with us any longer, because that's just life. But I'd never been forced to face that inevitability or to live without him in my life. He died of cancer last October 27th (2013). He'd already bought the candy for his Trick-or-Treaters'.

My heart broke.

And for the first time, I was faced with the fact that he'd no longer be there to eat my mom's cranberry salad or sit at the head of the table, to shuffle around my house in his khakis with black or brown dress socks on Christmas day with a cup of coffee with milk in his hand, to write me little letters, to say "I love you, too, babe" when I hugged his neck on my way out after visiting, to fix me breakfast and bustle around trying to get me what I needed, or to lecture me because he always thought he knew what was best.

I realized I had taken him for granted. Although I'd been involved in his life and I'd been there religiously each week up until the cancer took him, I'd taken for granted that he would always be there. This man who had seemed like a superhero, so smart and strong and tough, but with an abundance of love.

Today as I went to the graveyard and brushed the snow off his tombstone with my bare hand as the wind whipped around me, I imagined him smiling at me like he used to with that unconditional love shining through in his eyes. I sensed the smell of his aftershave and cologne when I hugged his neck. And I felt sad, but peaceful.

As emotional as I still feel (especially around his favorite time of the year),  I wanted to share this with you all because I want to tell you not to take your loved ones for granted. None of us are invincible. We are human, flawed, and with illnesses, and tired. And when God calls us home, our time here is done, and it's not our choice whether to stay or go.

I am one of those blessed with so many wonderful memories that I will hold in my heart forever. I would never have wanted to miss out on all the love and sweet blessings he brought to my life.

Thanksgiving is about being thankful, but don't just be grateful for things on this day. It is a day to celebrate thankfulness, but we should cultivate a grateful heart for 365 days every year, our whole lives.

Think about that tonight as you say goodnight to your loved ones. Consider that maybe you should cherish them while they're here. Enjoy the simple things with them. Tell them what they mean to you, and most of all, show them what they mean to you. We all know loss in this lifetime, but cherishing people when they are here will give us memories to help make it a little more bearable.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

xx