A Few Thoughts on Thanksgiving -
And 3 Small Gifts for You...
Well, can you believe it—here we are again… Thanksgiving.
Each year this holiday seems to arrive sooner and sooner—and time seems to be speeding up more and more the older I get.
This whole “life thing” is flying by pretty quick.
A couple years ago on a whim I threw my wife and kids into the family Suburban and drove eight hours through pouring rain to eat Thanksgiving dinner with my mom and dad.
That Thanksgiving turned out to be my Dad’s last Thanksgiving—
and I’m so grateful and thankful that we decided to make that trip and that we were all able to spend that last time with him.
This year it seems like we could be in a similar situation with my wife’s dad.
We’re all together for the holiday week—and once again, we are so fortunate, grateful, and thankful to be able to spend this time with him.
You know, throughout the year I really do try my best to be mindful and to try and set aside moments and time to reflect and be grateful and thankful for everything we have—
But, you know how it goes… something always comes up.
Life “gets in the way.”
And despite my best intentions, I always somehow seem to get sidetracked, interrupted, and forget.
Which is why I’m so thankful for Thanksgiving.
Because Thanksgiving pretty much forces us—or at least gives us the inexcusable opportunity—for at least a full day…
to just stop, put everything on pause, step back, look around, and be amazed at this whole “life thing” that we’re all a part of…
and to be truly thankful and grateful for everything we have.
Over the years I’ve collected some “Thanksgiving Traditions”—which are basically just 2–3 super short pieces I revisit every year to help shortcut my way back into feeling thankful.
And this year, I’d like to share them with you…
Thanksgiving Gift #1: A Lesson in Gratitude
This is a tiny little video—less than a couple of minutes—that somehow captures one simple truth:
We’re surrounded by small miracles every single day.
Most of them we walk right past without noticing.
But when you do stop… and really look… it’s like someone wipes the fog off the window.
Life suddenly appears a whole lot fuller, brighter, and more generous than it did five seconds earlier.
Thanksgiving Gift #2: The Tail End
This one always hits me the hardest.
It walks you through how much time we actually have left with the people we love—not measured in years, which sound reassuring, but in moments:
• The number of Thanksgivings left
• The number of breakfasts
• The number of phone calls
• The number of summers
• The number of visits with parents, kids, friends
When you shrink everything down to actual remaining experiences, it becomes painfully clear that even long relationships are mostly behind us—not ahead of us.
It’s not meant to be depressing.
It’s meant to wake you up.
To remind you that the people at your table this week are not just “there.”
They are finite.
And every moment with them is part of a small remaining pile.
Once you see life that way, you don’t forget it.
And suddenly—even the messy, chaotic, stressful parts of family life turn into something you want to hold onto a little tighter.
Thanksgiving Gift #3: Your Life in Weeks
This one zooms out even further.
Imagine your whole life laid out on a single giant page—every week represented by a little square.
Birth to 90.
All the squares you’ve already used up… and all the ones you might still have.
It’s a strange feeling to see your life that way.
Not as an endless river, but as a grid with a very clear end.
The point isn’t to scare you.
The point is that once you see your life broken into tiny, countable pieces, you suddenly get very clear about what matters… and what absolutely does not.
You stop wasting squares.
You start using them with intention.
And you feel grateful in a way that doesn’t require effort—it just happens.
And then, just for kicks, here’s a little bonus:
A collection of the best Thanksgiving podcast stories ever produced by the good folks at This American Life.
Funny, warm, weird, reflective—perfect for a walk after dinner.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and best wishes to you and yours.
Hold your people close.
Enjoy the little squares.
And thank you for being here
Dan (Boomer Dan, that is)
661-202-0979