How often do you pause for a moment and say thank you for all the blessings you received in life? Or are you blinded by the unpleasant experiences that sometimes, you lose sight of all the good things you should be grateful for?
The most wonderful season has come, the countdown has begun. Christmas is right around the corner and as a tradition, everyone should be excited for the holiday season with high expectations for a cozy celebration. However, this is not how the case is going because for some, it doesn’t look a lot like its Christmas season already. Certainly, this year is no doubt an emotional rollercoaster for everyone. This ongoing pandemic brought us nothing but endless lockdowns, travel restrictions, loss of freedoms, destroyed livelihoods, and social gathering norms. All are good enough reasons to wallow in sadness and disappointments. But you should not feel this way. This is not what Christmas is all about? It’s supposed to be jolly; this is the season of happiness, sharing, love, forgiveness, and appreciation. This is the season to reunite with families under the red, blue, green & white Christmas. And more than that, this is the season to celebrate the birth of our savior and to give thanks for all his love, sacrifices, and protection. So, drop those holiday blues and let the spirit of Christmas fill your heart with merry ideas. You can do so much more joy in this Christmas season. If you just close your eyes and think for a moment, you will realize how blessed you are in so many ways and it will not stop you from celebrating this Christmas.
Here are the top 10 reasons to be thankful this Christmas.
1. You have a family to come home
Home is where your family belongs, where life begins, and love never ends. And happiness is when you have a complete family celebrating Christmas together. Treasure your family and always appreciate their value. You should not take them for granted because the moment when they are not with you anymore is the time when you realize how valuable they are in your life. Whatever the situation you may have with your family right now, just be thankful that you have someone you can always call for and can come home. They are the people who love you unconditionally and who know you the best. There is no such thing as a perfect family. You may quarrel, you may fight, you may even ignore and stop talking at each other at times, but in the end, family is always family. The love that strongly binds the family together will always be there and it won’t change.
2. You have friends for keeps
You might be an extrovert, introvert, or somewhere in between. Regardless, friendship remains a common denominator of life. Just like your family, friends are the pieces of the puzzle that complete you. They are practically your siblings from another mother. They are there for you when you are away or can’t be with your family especially during special moments and holidays. Whenever they are around, they add colors to your life and make it even more interesting and meaningful. When life gets you down, they are always there to raise you with their words of encouragement. They wipe away your tears and are always all ears with your sentiments and dramas. They help you grow as a person and cheer you on your success. Things are never quite scary when you are with your friends. So please don’t hesitate to express how thankful you are by just having them in your life. Life is hard and it feels good to have someone that always got your back in good times and bad times.
3. You are alive & kicking
Life is the greatest gift of God. When you open your eyes in the morning, do you even say thank you for another chance to live and a brand-new day to experience all the good things life can offer? Life is not perfect, and the world may not always be easy to live in, but no matter how good or bad the situation is you should always be thankful that you are still alive and kicking. The moment you wake up is already a blessing to continue living. Always add value to your life because not everyone made it this far. When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, still say thank you and grow.
4. You are healthy and strong
Health is wealth. If you haven’t realized yet how lucky you are just being healthy and strong amidst the global pandemic situation, well, just think of the many people who are fighting their lives & suffering from covid & other health conditions. They are praying every day for a speedy recovery and good health and here you are, you got a life so easy with your good health. You should be thankful that you are able to do things without any health complications. Just a friendly reminder to take special care of your body because it’s the only place you have to live. When you practice healthy living, you are promoting your well-being.
5. You have food to bring to the table
Food is the basic source to survive life. Before you eat, may you cultivate the habit of giving thanks for whatever food is served at the table. Stop complaining and be grateful instead that you still have food for your empty stomach. Just think of those hungry children begging for alms outside just so they have something to eat. Just think of the people who contribute their efforts just so you can have food to eat. Think of those farmers who work hard to plant and take good care of the goods. Think of those vendors who sometimes even compromise the price just to make a sell. Think of your parents, or siblings, or even yourself who works hard for a living just so you could buy food. When you think about it, there are many reasons to be grateful for the food you have at the table. When you practice a grateful heart, you enjoy a constant feast.
6. You have access to the internet
Internet is one of the wonders of technology that makes your life easier at your convenience. Regardless of that, some people still complain about how social media causes a division between people, how it consumes all your attention, and how it makes people more and more isolated. Yes, that’s true but even with all those reasons, you can’t still deny the fact that the power of the internet overpowers its cons. That is why just having access to the internet is also a privilege today. And it becomes more helpful during this pandemic. Through the internet, you can work and study from home while staying safe from Covid. With so much knowledge and information readily made available, it helps you become smarter. It helps you get in touch with your friends and families by closing the distance virtually. With just a matter of seconds using your fingertips, it gives you the entertainment you want. And many more reasons why we should be thankful for the existence of the internet. Be thankful that you get to enjoy the benefits of the internet because there are still a lot of people who are deprived of the use of this technology.
7. We get to share our blessings
Christmas is not just all about gift opening but also the perfect season to showcase the spirit of giving. There is immense power when you give to others with no expectation of receiving anything in return. When you start giving back to others, it feels like you share out a piece of your heart with others and it makes your heart happy that you can make someone smile with your heartfelt act of kindness. Whether you are giving gifts, extending financial assistance, donations to charities, volunteer service to the community, or just even giving your time and compassion to others, it is important to note that we should not overlook those humanly gestures no matter how small it is. According to Jim Rohn, it is only by giving to others that you are able to receive more than you already have.
8. We have our Frontliners: Our Modern-day heroes
Our Frontliners are those valuable people in our communities that give support and provide us with their all-around services. Sometimes we tend to overlook their importance but during this global pandemic together they stand strong and serve as our guiding light in the face of uncertainties. They have done so much to keep the community safe, in peace, and harmony. They deserved to be appreciated for their humility, bravery, kindness, commitment, and compassion to the nation. They are always willing to put themselves in danger just to save others and to give service to humanity and that is why they are called modern-day heroes. Giving them words of appreciation and uplifting messages makes their selfless service and tireless effort worthy.
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9. You learn to forgive
In life, relationships are fragile just like the snowflake. Whenever you are hurt by someone, your often response is to suppress the feelings inside. But the spirit of Christmas tells you to forgive others and allow God to heal you spiritually and bring inner peace to your troubled heart. There is nothing more beautiful than forgiving someone who has wronged you. Forgiving others allows you to overcome feelings of hatred, anger, bitterness, or revenge. If you are willing enough to forgive someone for their inappropriate action, then you are allowing yourself to be happy rather than being vindictive and be bitter towards someone. As stated by Jonathan Lockwood Hui, you forgive others not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace.
10. God loves you
All the Christmas presents in the world are worth nothing when the center of the celebration is not appreciated and recognized. The true essence of Christmas is Christ himself for which he was bestowed to us by God to save humanity. This season, whether you see the blessing or struggling, may you never forget to thank the almighty God who loves you more than you ever know. It is easier for you to praise him when you are most happy and comfortable, but it is also important to thank him even in your darkest hour and he will bless you with grace and mercy. When you felt like nothing is happening in your life, just know that God has a plan, and his plans are much better than anything you could ever wish for yourself. The future may be unknown to you, but he can see the whole picture that is why through pain & hardship, he redirects you. And one day, you will be able to look back at what happened and what God did and see that it was true.
Truly, Christmas season is a beautiful reminder that in your darkest hours, there is always a light of hope and faith that will fill your heart with so much gratitude. Being grateful is the foundation for all abundance. When you give thanks and express your gratitude, it allows you to recognize the goodness and beauty of life. And the more you practice gratitude, the more you see how much there is to be grateful for, and your life becomes an ongoing celebration of joy and happiness.
Yeah sure, you may have been through hardship and misery these past years but know that in every cloud has a silver lining. Let this Christmas brings you plenty of reasons to smile. May this season fill your heart and home with so much love, joy, and peace. May this season bring healing to the world by bringing this pandemic to end. And as you count your blessings, may you never forget to extend your prayer for those who aren’t able to partake in this wonderful celebration.