“Setting the table of our lives with gratitude” ~ what an expansive sense of Thanksgiving by which to live every day! This is the title of Tim Mitchinson’s latest blog which was first published in the Alsip Patch on November 18, 2017. It is a very special one that I know you will want to read to the end. Wishing each of you a Thanksgiving Day ~ and every day ~ abundant with gratitude!
My mom took such joy in Thanksgiving. She especially enjoyed setting the table – laying out the china, flatware, goblets and cloth napkins that were used only on special occasions. And there was always a beautiful centerpiece.
I remember a political commentator using the phrase “set the table” to refer to political campaigns when establishing their strategy. It’s a good phrase for all of us to think about. How do you prepare for special occasions, your workday, or just every day? How do you “set the table” of your life?
Gratitude is a great way to “set the table”. Psychology professor Robert Emmons of the University of California would concur. According to Emmons, gratitude is not just a happy emotion; it can improve one’s health. His research shows that individuals who kept a gratitude journal reported fewer physical symptoms of illness than those who did not.
This is not surprising to me. For years I have found gratitude to not only benefit my mental well-being, but also to heal illness. I had a friend who used to say, “When you are not feeling well, consider what you have to be grateful for.” While family and friends may naturally come first on many people’s list, my friend encouraged me to specifically express gratitude for God and His unconditional love. She knew that would make my gratitude even more effective in terms of health benefits, and she was right.