"Therefore the prayer of thanksgiving should be quite specific: 'I thank thee for this friendship, this threat overpassed, this signal grace.' 'For all thy mercies' is a proper phrase for a general collect, but not a private gratitude. If we are 'thankful for everything,' we may end by being thankful for nothing."
~George Buttrick, excerpted from Devotional Classics, a Renovaré resource for spiritual renewal.

To be thankful for everything is to be thankful for nothing. It’s a gut-punch of a statement; right? It’s easy to go about our days projecting a sense of gratitude, but without specificity, are we really grateful?

As you make your way to your respective Thanksgiving locale, spend some time examining the specific people, places, and things you're grateful for. Grab a pen and paper and write the people, places, and things on a list (or use your list from yesterday). But don’t stop there. To the right of each person, place, or thing, write why.

And then? On Thanksgiving day, share that list with those on your list.

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A Word About These Posts

Over the next year, I’m creating a series of connected pieces, each of which will build on the previous posts. It’s a sober stream of consciousness that began with my Waking series. Where will it go? You’ll have to follow along to find out. So, if you’re not already signed up to receive my daily emails, you know what to do. (And while you’re here, consider picking up my books, Coming Clean and The Book of Waking Up.)