Despite everything that makes the news or was debated this election season, the contributors of this blog recognize we have a lot to be grateful for. We wanted to share a few brief thoughts on what we are thankful for. Who knows, maybe this will become an annual tradition for the blog.
When I think about my own development as an organizational leader, I’m thankful for all of the wisdom, insights and constructive critique of my colleagues and mentors along the way. I recently completed a 360 review of my role as leader, and I’m grateful to all who took the time, energy and care to provide honest and thoughtful assessment of how I’m doing and could be doing better. That “gift” has been huge not only for me, but for our organization and the communities we serve.
I am grateful for family members who are healthy and in hot pursuit of their goals. In this time of great change, I am also aware just how fortunate I am to live in a country where people still understand that power is best utilized when it is enables others; that just because one CAN say or do something, doesn’t mean that one SHOULD; that knowledge and curiosity are admirable; and that the Golden Rule is timeless.
I’m thankful for friends, family and democracy.
I am thankful to call the Minneapolis-Saint Paul region my home. I appreciate the people that gave me a meaningful relationship to my community. These individuals are from the Leadership Twin Cities program. While many of these people started as colleagues, they have now become mentors, clients and dear friends. The commitment to the quality of life in our region becomes more valuable and important each day to me, as I watch my daughter’s interest in our community flourish. For that, I am grateful.
I am thankful for a wonderful, supportive and innovative community in which I can learn, help others and make a difference. I am thankful for family, friends and new acquaintances who help make everyday fun and exciting. Happy Thanksgiving
Five years ago my wife was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia. Today, after chemo, radiation, and a bone marrow transplant, she is cancer free. For me, this experience defines what Thanksgiving is all about: family. That was the case long before cancer entered our lives. I guess maybe leukemia simply put an added spotlight on it.
So on this Thanksgiving, I give thanks for my family, I send prayers to friends who bravely continue to fight cancer, and I reiterate a wish that I have everyday… that we all take a moment to reflect on, and appreciate, what is truly important.
I am grateful that we live in a society where the transfer of political power happens via peaceful and safe elections.
I am grateful to my husband, my family and my friends for sharing their amazing lives with me. My family, especially my amazing mother, taught me how to be strong, to use common sense and to be resilient. My husband has taught me how to love and keep believing, even when life is a challenge. My friends for sharing their good times and bad. My life is full of laughter, love and joy because of them.
I am grateful for the technologies that connect us, and for the deep awareness that no technology can replace eye contact, a handshake, or a hug.
I am grateful for my family and friends, who remind me of my limits as well as my potential. They’re fun to hang out with, too.
I am thankful to my wife and daughter who put up with my crazy, time-consuming side projects – one of which is publishing this blog. This blog is something that I am truly thankful for. It has provided me the opportunity to build friendships, meet some amazing people in our community, and to enjoy reading and learning from the blog posts.
Being a very practical person who likes to put things in perspective, I would also like to share a thankful quote from Buddha:
“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.”
Please share with us what you are thankful for. Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
I am thankful that we pool our money to pay for roads and salt trucks.
I am grateful for my wonderful dad who has survived and thrived after a serious illness when very few people thought even survival was an option. I am also grateful for good friends and for the opportunity to make a difference to someone or something each day.
I’m extremely thankful for the love, support, and encouragement I receive from Family and Friends. Without it, I would not have had the courage to live the dream of starting my own business. And each day, I thank them for giving me the courage to keep going! As I reflect on my Thanksgiving blessings, I am extremely grateful for the relationships I’ve built over the years… those bonds are the only things that truly matter! The rest of it, the “stuff” could all go away tomorrow and I’d still be thankful for the wonderful people in my life. Happy Thanksgiving to each of you who have touched my life over the years — THANKS!