Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude. Of giving thanks for the people in our lives. For our health and well-being.
While we may not always stop and take a moment to be grateful, when we do, what do we think of? I’m sure many of us find it easy to be thankful for the good things. But what about the challenges? The obstacles?
Oddly enough, as grateful as I am for the good in my life, I’m just as grateful for the bad.
Finding good in the bad
Recently, I was at a group leadership session and we were asked to describe the type of person we wanted as a first manager for our loved ones.
I was the only one in the room that wanted someone less than perfect. Someone with obvious flaws. Who would make mistakes and not handle them in the best way. A model of what not to do.
Why would I want that? Wouldn’t I want my son’s first working experience to be positive?
The very question assumes we cannot have a positive outcome from a negative experience. I believe there is a lot of learning and growth from the challenges we face. More so than the positive ones.
It’s growth I wish for my son. Grit. Gumption. Sticktuitiveness.
There will always be challenges. Obstacles. Things we wish were different. If I wish him to have only positive experiences, that’s not realistic. Eventually he will run into a challenge and I want him prepared.
Grateful for the twilight
When all we know is light, we may take it for granted. Once we know darkness, we have a way to compare. We can see shades of darkness and light and find gratitude in all the spaces in between.
The reality is that nothing is perfect. There are no perfect people. Perfect leaders. Perfect circumstances. For the most part, there is no such thing as pure light or dark, as all people and experiences are some amount of both.
I believe the most beautiful time is twilight, the space between darkness and light. That’s where I find my gratitude this year.
- Spending the holiday without my son because I have him for Christmas this year.
- Sore muscles as I train for a half-marathon, recalling what it’s like not to be able to walk or run.
- The occasional challenges I face at work, reminding me not to drink my own kool-aid or get complacent.
- The few pounds I’ve gained since moving to NC, knowing I have better balance between work, my son, and fitness.
- Time by myself, trying new things alone, remembering how uncomfortable I used to be in my own skin.
- Moments of writer’s block, challenging me to get better.
Rather than worry about what I don’t have, I am embracing where I am and what I’m learning along the way.
Having known darkness, I’m finding beauty in the twilight.
Giving Thanks
No matter where you are in your journey or how you’re spending your holiday, I wish you a happy Thanksgiving.
I hope it is spent doing something you enjoy, whether that is surrounded by people or with the pleasure of your own company.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, as I am grateful for the opportunity to write for you. I am also grateful for those that don’t agree with my thoughts, as you challenge me to get better.
