People are easy to be grateful for.
Or maybe, it’s actually quite fortunate…
Because no matter what’s happening in the world around us, our work remains tied to principles of service, creativity, and community.
So, thanks for that, everyone.
Keeps me going.
It’s Thanksgiving this week, and I just ran a storytelling workshop on “a time when you felt immense gratitude.”
It’s always been hard for me to list “things I’m grateful for,” even though I know that I’m thankful for a lot.
But the times I’ve felt immense gratitude are often in moments of relief, or surprise… Moments that stand in stark defiance of what I might expect to feel.
Case in point → I felt really grateful after getting into a car accident my first week in NYC.
My roommate and I had decided to fit in a trip to IKEA while she still had a rental car. Stopped at the intersection right next to our apartment building, we discussed what we were looking for… I had my heart set on a small desk for my new tiny bedroom.
The light turned green and we entered the intersection, ready to turn left. But another car ran the red, ramming into our left rear side, and spinning us around… And the driver kept going.
The first thought you have when you’re in a car accident is: “Sh!t, is everyone ok?”
(We were.)
And then it’s time to “figure it out.” What’s next? Who’s involved? What’s it going to take to fix everything?
As my roommate and I left the vehicle, we were met by at least 6 people in the neighborhood, all folks who had witnessed the accident and ran over to make sure we were ok.
I immediately melted into that gooey feeling of gratitude.
15 years later, when I look back on that morning, I still feel thankful. Thankful for the neighbors who came to our aid. Thankful for their warmth and camaraderie while we sorted things out with the police. Thankful that I immediately felt cared for and safe in my new neighborhood in my first week in a new city.
People are easy to be grateful for.
And I am forever finding comfort, purpose and strength in this community of thinkers, doers, artists and activists.
PS:
Have you thanked your clients lately? Your team? Take a second to send some emails or a few texts. Tis the season, after all.