Thursday, November 22, 2012

Thankful Jar

My folks have a thankful jar. After Thanksgiving suppers of recent years, we have gone around the table telling what we're thankful for, dropping in a popcorn kernel each time. The "rules" are fuzzy and flexible; nobody gets booed away from the table if they mix it up a bit.

Mom told of Grandma C's influence toward gratitude through her words and example. As Grandma was losing functioning in various areas during her older years, including becoming less verbal, people at church would greet her and ask how she was doing. Grandma didn't have a lot of words available to her anymore for engaging in in-depth conversations, but would consistently pause and then reply with a smile, "I'm grateful." I don't remember those interactions, but I do remember that attitude in her.

We've got a ways to go yet to fill our family's big thankful jar with those itty-bitty kernels. I'm okay with that. After all, the process of getting "there" (filling the jar) means lots more days of gratitude, and that's a pretty good place to be.

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