FAMILY blog
T hanksgiving is just around the corner. This brings to
mind a large turkey with all the trimmings on a dining
room table, surrounded by happy family and friends.

It’s one of my favorite holidays. But this year, I want
to take a look at “thanksgiving” as a verb, instead of the noun of
the holiday.

“Thank” is a verb meaning to “express gratitude.” Expressing
gratitude should be a natural daily occurrence, and it also comes
with benefits. According to Derrick Carpenter, Master of Applied
Positive Psychology, “People who regularly practice gratitude by
taking time to notice and reflect upon the things they’re thankful
for experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep
better, express more compassion and kindness and even have
stronger immune systems. And gratitude doesn’t need to be
reserved only for momentous occasions: Sure, you might express
gratitude after receiving a promotion at work, but you can also
be thankful for something as simple as a delicious piece of pie.”
This pie reference brings us back to thanksgiving – the verb that
is. Every morning, the first thing I do is think of three things for
which I’m grateful. I try to make them different every morning. It
starts my day off positively and just takes a minute.

I’m grateful for the big things in my life: family, friends, faith,
health, career and a roof over my head. But here are are some
everyday things that make me grateful:
Thank you, trees, and nature in general. We have trees around
our home and every morning I marvel at their beauty. They’re
stunning to look at against the sky, with leaves and without.

We lost two large trees in our yard about 14 years ago, and I was
devastated. We planted two new ones, and one of them is a “9/11
tree,” which Arlington County donated to be planted in honor of
victims of the 9/11 Pentagon terrorist attack. The tree was about
12 feet tall when we planted it; now it’s taller than my house. Not
only does the tree provide shade, but it’s home base when we
play baseball or kickball. The 9/11 plaque next to the tree reminds
us and future families of its significance.

Which brings me to my next grateful topic: America. I’m so
thankful to be living in a country where honest hard work will
get you more than your dreams could imagine. You can buy a
house, raise a family, send your children to great schools – it’s
6 November 2015 washingtonFAMILY.com
all possible. I’m also grateful to the Pilgrims, who sacrificed
everything to practice their faith in a new land, and to the
Founding Fathers who wrote the Constitution. And to all the
people who make this country great: from entrepreneurs to
farmers to teachers to doctors.

Thank you, technology. Technology makes our lives so much
better. People who know me know I’m not very tech savvy. But
thankfully, I have technology, like the app on my iPhone, to get
me (the directionally challenged) places where it would have
taken me twice as long looking at a map.

Thank you, books and libraries. As a child in elementary school,
I remember “library day” as my favorite. Our school didn’t
have its own, so we would walk to the nearby public library – a
beautiful Neoclassical building. We all thought of it as a field trip.

I loved the warmth of the real fireplace, the smell of the books
and reading in one of the big chairs. I was always sad when the
teacher said library time was over. In college, the library was
my sanctuary – quiet and peaceful with no teacher telling me it
was time to go. Now, I go to the library with my son and it’s still
one of my favorite places. But instead of curling up with a book,
I read in the car waiting for my son to be finished with football
practice or a piano lesson; still a lovely escape.

Sometimes it’s important to stop and be thankful for little
moments in the day. Like the kind stranger who let me merge
into their lane of traffic, a bear hug from my son or coffee
delivered by my husband every morning.

And thank you, readers and advertisers of Washington FAMILY!
Without you, we could not do what we do.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!
Sylvia Witaschek
Sales Team Leader
Washington FAMILY Magazine
switaschek@thefamilymagazine.com