Yes, it’s an unusual title for a blog post — I know. But this is something that has been remarkable to me over the years, and I decided that, since I now have a place to just pour out my thoughts, I would do just that as we enter into the holiday season.

I have always been one that really likes Thanksgiving. Besides having an incredibly long weekend, it is so refreshing to take the time to examine my life and focus on the positivity of all that is good and wholesome and those things for which I have to be thankful. Each year, the list seems to grow, and I cannot express my gratitude for my friends, family, job, home, health… and the list goes on. What is amazing to me, however, is the complete lack of attention this holiday receives every year from the media (except for the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving specials and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, of course).

After giving some thought to this phenomenon, I realized that the reason we see our shopping isles and decorations throughout town jump directly from spiders and witches to snowmen, elves and stylized snowflakes is simply the fact that the Thanksgiving holiday is nigh impossible to market. Besides purchasing turkeys, the focus of the holiday puts little to no emphasis on purchasing, but rather, and rightly so I might add, the focus is on being grateful for those things in life most precious to us.

Imagine that: a day set aside to focus on core values. Yes, that is something that would be beneficial to us every once in a while — especially just before the extremely heavily marketed Christmas season. It seems that there is a larger focus on the Black Friday shopping the day after Thanksgiving than on the holiday itself.

So, as the holiday season gets under way, let’s take time to pause and spend some time thinking about what it is in life that is worthwhile. Let’s take time today and share with those who mean the most to us. Thanks to all those who actually take the time to read my blog, and I hope this little post is somewhat encouraging to you.

Happy Thanksgiving!