Kathy’s Korner – A Thanksgiving Message

Kathy’s Korner

Gratitude + Acknowledgement + Thankfulness = Timeless Positives

It is that time of year when we take a moment to count our blessings.  We have seen catastrophic events in our world as well as in my home town of Houston Texas, but there is always a way to turn our focus on the positives and not allow ourselves to dwell on the way we wish things were.  There was a young lady (in her 50’s) that had lost her entire home and community to a forest fire in California.  When the reporter asked her how she could go on, she bravely smiled and said, we may have lost our home, but the memories remain in our hearts.  Nothing can take those away from us.

The memories do live on!  Let’s take a few minutes to recognize and acknowledge those in our lives that make a difference through their courage and spirit of giving.  When the times are the hardest is when we as a species pull together.  In a book by M. Scott Peck called The Road Less Traveled, the opening line in the book says something like this…  Life is tough; once we accept that fact, we can transcend it.  Take advantage of this opportunity in your lives to count your blessings.

A brief Kathy story… Those of you that know me, know I am a big woman, not your average Barbie; however I love to swim.  It is sometimes hard to put on a swim suit and jump in the pool beside fit, trim, healthy young men and women to do my laps.  One day I was feeling particularly self-conscious, but what I witnessed made me forget my plus size and count my blessings.  You see, four lanes from me a woman rolled up to the side of the pool in her wheel chair and dove in.  Both of her legs had been amputated mid-thigh.  I stopped feeling self-conscious and instead felt humbly grateful I had legs.

No matter what our experience has been, there is always someone who has had it better or worse.  None of us a is the same, which is the magic of it all.  We fit together not because of our similarities, but because of our differences.

A friend of mine, Distinguished Toastmaster Tamara Coole, created this beautiful piece of art work symbolizing our differences showcasing the tapestry and interdependence each of us plays in this life.  Every piece matters!  Every one of us belongs!  We are not complete without each other!

With this in mind, consider those in your world that have made a difference in your life through their living examples.  Celebrate the differences and how each unique attribute makes the picture complete; send them a Knock Your Socks Off Acknowledgement™.  When I was first introduced to the concept of Knocking Someone’s Socks Off with my heartfelt message of gratitude, I thought it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  IT IS NOT!  Make someone’s day by letting them know how much their lives have changed yours.   Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  I am honored to call you my family and my dear friends!

Kathy Kest