“It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of personkind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely.” 

Leo F. Buscaglia
1924-1998

Photo taken by Tia Serre

With Thanksgiving just a couple of days away, I wanted my three- and five-year-old to have a general sense of what the holiday is all about. But for young children, what does it really mean to be thankful? — Besides blurting out a well-scripted “thank you” when they’ve just been given something that they really, really wanted. 

I couldn’t come up with any brilliant ideas, so I pilfered one from The Simple Mom (http://www.thesimplemom.wordpress.com), who creates a Thanksgiving Tree with her family every year. She draws a bare tree on a piece of paper, and then, over the course of a couple of weeks or so, family members write down the things or people that they’re thankful for on multi-colored leaves and tape them to the tree. Although she recommends beginning the project in mid-November, I decided to cram it all in at once. Just my style — fast and furious.

In the end, I think that my kids got something out of it. The activity at least gave us time to sit down together and talk a little about what we value in our lives — our stuffed animals, our friends, our school. 

But I am now left with a nagging question in my mind. Just how can a kid who has never really wanted for anything, except maybe a box of Spongebob Squarepants cereal, really understand gratitude? The only answer that I can come up with is that, at some point, kids should be exposed to those who have less. They should participate with their parents in some kind of service-related activity. 

Yep – that’s us, parents. We need to be reminded, as well, that we are indeed blessed … and that our blessings bring with them certain responsibilities. Although we can easily (and understandably) become consumed with caring for our own little families, we have to remember that there are others out there who need us too.

There is a story that is circulating around the news this week (http://www.komonews.com/news/problemsolvers/34241094.htmla) about an eleven-year-old boy whose dying wish was to feed the homeless. With only two weeks to live, he inspired thousands to give to others less fortunate than themselves. 

What a lesson we can learn from this little boy. If he was able to accomplish this miracle from the confinement of his bed in less than two weeks, what can each able-bodied person do in his or her lifetime? Or better yet – what are we willing to do? This Thanksgiving, I am asking myself this question … as I reflect back on a rather privileged life. 

Perhaps the most important bi-product of gratitude is the desire to share our good fortune with others. 

Let’s stop and give thanks for each of the leaves on our respective Thanksgiving trees. And then, with our kids in tow — let’s take a cue from a little boy with perspective well beyond his years, and start giving back.