Thankful

Every day I am struck by how grateful I am for so many blessings; those of family, friends, and workmates, but also by the small things in our lives that we tend to miss.  The smiles of children in a school yard, the sound of laughter in a restaurant, the aromas of food in our kitchens, and the ability to be able to make choices.

As we transition from Thanksgiving to the next holiday season, let's keep in mind that being thankful makes us better people.  On Thanksgiving day, I placed some quotes on the table related to being grateful, and I think they sum up my feelings to a tee.

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." - Marcel Proust

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." - Thornton Wilder

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”
Cicero (106-43 B.C.)

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” Willie Nelson

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
 A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” William Arthur Ward

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” William Arthur Ward

“In daily life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but gratefulness that makes us happy.” Brother David Steindl-Rast

I'm grateful this year for the students and readers who have written to me, or come up to me after a class, to introduce themselves and to talk about recipes and food.  I'm grateful for my family and friends who support me each day, and grateful for being able to travel and see new places, and meet new people.
Wishing you a week filled with gratitude.