There is something wonderful about being together.
Family, traveling in from near and far. Good people enjoying good food. Taking a break from the busyness of the world. Reflecting on all the things you're grateful for. Remembering…and making new memories. That's what Thanksgiving (which the US is celebrating today) is all about.
We all have much to be thankful for.
But the Stoics urge us to take this practice even a little bit further. Can you work to be grateful for the less obvious things? For the travel delays and the annoying people at the store? For the kid who wakes up with a cold? For the oven that doesn't work well? For the obstacles at the office? For the political dysfunction? For the back pain? For the dirty dishes and the passive aggressive mother-in-law?
The Stoics saw gratitude as a kind of medicine—that saying "thank you" for every experience was the key to good mental health. "Convince yourself that everything is the gift of the gods," Marcus Aurelius said, "that things are good and always will be."
The emphasis there was on everything and his quote takes on a special meaning when you realize just how much pain and heartbreak and struggle that life inflicted on Marcus Aurelius. It wasn't natural to see it all as a gift…he had to work for it.
Stoicism is not just enjoying special days like Thanksgiving. It means finding the good in every day and all things.
Why?
Because we are only experiencing them because we are alive. Because obstacles are a form of fuel for us, an opportunity inside each one. Because surely someone has it worse.
Epictetus said that every situation has two handles: Which are you going to decide to grab? Anger or appreciation? Resentment or thanks? Are you going to let things get the best of you…or see the best in them?
As you gather around your family and friends this Thanksgiving (or any other celebration you might partake in), appreciate it and give thanks for all the bountiful gifts that moment presents. Just make sure that when the moment passes, as you go back to your regular life, that you make gratitude a regular part of it. Again—not simply for what is easy and immediately pleasing, but for all of it.
This year, once again, we're teaming up with Feeding America to help provide meals for hungry families all over the country. Last year, the Daily Stoic community came together to raise $240,000 or 2.4 MILLION meals. This year, our goal is to raise $300,000—that's 3 MILLION meals for families in need. We've donated $30,000 to kick things off. Head over to dailystoic.com/feeding to donate today. Together, we can make a small but meaningful difference in the lives of our neighbors facing hunger.
The great fortune of his life, Marcus Aurelius says inMeditations, is not just that he himself has never known serious want, it's that he's been lucky enough to be able to help so many people.
If you've been blessed, be a blessing!
Feeding America helps families like Kristy's. "The pantry helps most during the holidays. The box of food makes our holiday meal awesome," Kristy said. "It's almost like opening a birthday box. It's just full of surprises, and it's a weight lifted off your shoulders." With that weight lifted, Kristy, her husband, Anthony and Neva can focus on what matters most to them: time together.Feeding America helps families like Kristy's. "The pantry helps most during the holidays. The box of food makes our holiday meal awesome," Kristy said. "It's almost like opening a birthday box. It's just full of surprises, and it's a weight lifted off your shoulders."
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