This post is about thankfulness.

Yes, Thanksgiving was last week. It’s true. So why am I talking about being grateful now?

Because now, when we’re no longer hearing about it, is exactly when we need a reminder. I know I forget to be grateful for what I have when the holiday purchase rush begins. I get caught up in sales on all the cool stuff I want to get, and then feel sad about being poor or finding things are no longer in stock.

As such, this is as much for me as it is for any of you reading this now.

A Timely Reminder

Consider yourself formally reminded to be grateful for all the stuff you already have. There. Done.

Not really. We’re going to dive a bit deeper into this.

Now, when all the world is yelling at you to “Buy! Buy! BUY!”; when stores put on cheap Christmas songs to put you in the mindset of “Oh, I don’t want Johnny to find less in his stocking than his siblings!”; when, against your every desire and the constraints of your bank account, you feel pressured to get stuff for everyone else, if only so that you won’t feel bad if they get stuff for you without you getting stuff for them; when the commercials on television subtly suggest you should be dismayed if he or she doesn’t get you that one thing that you absolutely want; when thankfulness is the last thing on your mind—

Now is the time when gratefulness is most important. Any virtue that you feel is being tested is the one you probably ought to focus on most, and right now…

You get the idea.

Why Life Is Awesome Right Now

But what reasons do you have to be thankful? Many people draw up lists during Thanksgiving, numbering off things they are grateful to have. That can help you put your current situation in a more positive perspective, so let’s make a list of items that may or may not apply to you now. Pick and choose any of the following that you like and add them to your list:

• You are alive. If you are here reading this, odds are, you haven’t died (permanently) yet.
• You haven’t been crushed by a building recently. If you had, you probably wouldn’t be reading this.
• You haven’t been eaten by dingoes.
• You are capable of operating a computer. At the very least, you are capable enough to have found this article.
• You can read. There are people who can’t do that.
• You are not currently being arrested by the police. Reading this would be hard to do while being shoved face first into the ground, after all.
• Odds are, no one you know has exploded (literally, at least). Nor have you had to encounter the aftermath.
• We live in a world that has trees and lovely natural places to go visit.
• You’re currently warm enough to not be frozen solid.
• Butterflies!
• At some point in your life, you ate something delicious. Remember? Remember it. Savor it.
• You have power within you to decide things for yourself. It’s the ultimate form of freedom.
• If you wanted to, you could pick your nose and grin at anyone who gives you a weird look.
• Dry autumn leaves are crunchy. They’re DELICIOUSLY crunchy.
• The universe hasn’t been eaten by a massive cosmic turtle recently. If it has, it was too massive for us to notice, apparently.

There are plenty of things to be grateful for! But let’s take a look at an even deeper level of gratitude, one that is independent of your circumstances.

The True Power of Thankfulness

Let’s be honest. At times, listing things to be grateful for is almost like saying, “Well, things could be worse, I guess,” and then trying to feel positive about that fact. True gratitude comes independently of whatever stuff we have or whatever things we haven’t yet lost or what our current circumstances are.

The true power of thankfulness comes when you are thankful in general. You are glad simply to be. You notice and acknowledge all good things that come to you, all while recognizing that you merit nothing good of your own self.

Human existence is by its very nature imperfect. There will always be something that can go wrong, and therefore, whatever good you may try to gain for yourself may never come. And yet it comes anyway, however small it may be. True thankfulness is recognizing every kindness ever given to you, acknowledging the opportunities for strength you have in difficult times, and receiving every hard thing with grace—all because doing good matters more to you than justice or merit.

As such, you let go of every grievance and stressor that comes against you. These things happen, and you recognize that you are not especially unfortunate for receiving difficulty. Instead, you keep walking, head held high, happy simply because you prefer to be.

It is freedom from your circumstances. Trials have no more power to crush you, difficulty has no more claim on your soul, and you are joyful because you will it, no matter what the universe dictates.

It is confidence and power over all things, because no more is your happiness connected to things. It comes from within.

And that may be the greatest power of all.

Thoughts? Questions? Aspersions? Let me know in the comments! Also thank you for reading this article. It is much appreciated.

All proceeds from this article go toward preparing a massive turkey dinner to dissuade cosmic turtles from eating our universe. Really.