The Real Power Of Gratitude

Still wondering about Social Media and how it works?

The non-profit organization, tweetsgiving.org, has just raised over $10,000 in less than 48 hours, all thanks to twitter. "tweetsgiving" is a project that seeks to demonstrate the power of twitter and the social web by spreading gratitude and raising $10,000 for a classroom in Tanzania. Those who chose to participate on twitter were able to donate money online during this twitter fundraiser.

I'm inspired by the generosity of people and their willingness to give to a cause during tough economic and personal times.

And, like so many others today, I'm thinking about all I'm grateful for.

I'm sitting here in Canada really missing my family back in Georgia. Nobody in Canada is celebrating Thanksgiving today--Canuks have this holiday on October 13th. Instead, my children are at school, my husband is at work, and I'm by myself at home, tying up some loose ends in the home office before jumping headlong into some baking for our own feast. We'll have some friends from Michigan here for the weekend, and we'll carve the turkey tomorrow evening. We'll be a day late in this country.

I imagine my family down South. They're all gathering at my sister's house now. There's probably 40 or more of them (we have a large family), and I'm sure I'm missing out on some wonderful things today. I'll miss my Mom, Dad and siblings the most. Dad got up early this morning, started the coffee he normally relies on to give him a kickstart, but that he won't need today. He's happy and excited to get out of bed and get into the kitchen to bake his famous whole wheat bread, a treat we get only at Thanksgiving and sometimes Christmas. He'll be singing as he always does, and making silly jokes that keep us either giggling or groaning. Mom will start buzzing around the house, finishing up the traditional dishes she loves to make, gathering the various serving dishes and such that she'll need to take over to my sister's. She's busy, she's multitasking, and she's forgetting something in the oven. That's all normal. And she is soooo happy--having her family gathered around her is one of the best gifts she ever has. My brothers and sisters are connecting with old friends back home they haven't spoken to in a while, visiting with family, and stealing bits of ham, turkey and whatever else is left unguarded on the countertops. The phone is ringing off the hook, but chances are it will go unanswered because the noise and chaos of cooking, music, adults talking and the clamor of young kids in the house will drown it out.

In addition to so much else I'm thankful for, I am especially thankful for my family. I am the child who has traveled and lived farthest from home on multiple occasions. While I realize what living so far away has cost me, it has certainly helped me realize how much I love them. I am grateful to have a family so worthy of being missed. And I am grateful that they love me as much as they do.