Gratitude on Thanksgiving
Sister Jan Berberich at the donor Mass of Appreciation, her first outing post-surgery.
Photo courtesy of Sister Jan Berberich
Each day as the morning dawns, I try and remember to give thanks for being alive and able to begin another day full of opportunities.
As we approach the “official” day of gratitude-Thanksgiving, we all become more aware of the idea of gratitude and giving thanks. What about the other 364 days?
Sister Jan Berberich at the Mass of Donor Appreciation, her first outing post-surgery.
Photo courtesy of Sister Jan Berberich
The dictionary says gratitude is the “quality of being thankful”1. We all know what that means. What I really like about the definition is what follows “readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” It is great to be thankful and grateful, but what about the giving part of gratitude and thanksgiving?
This made me reflect on how I have been thankful but forgot about the ‘giving’ part. Have I returned the kindness, or the gifts given to me, that make me grateful?
Sister Jan Berberich with Katie Wood, left, head of Student Life and 2020 graduates of Notre Dame High School (NDHS), St. Louis, holding up their NDHS class rings.
Photo courtesy of Sister Jan Berberich
Recent retirement from 50 years in formal education made me think of the multitude of students I educated over the years. I am grateful for the gift of being a good educator and I hope I returned my gift by leaving them with a sense of who they are and how they can change the world. I also had two major surgeries, which made me grateful for my health. I had the opportunity to reflect on how I was thankful, and also how I had returned the gifts I received when I had my health, As I scrolled through my pictures, I paused at each image and thought about the wonderful gifts I have been given. Then, I reflected on how I have returned, or not returned, the kindness or gifts given to me. I have been gifted with many opportunities in health, ministry, family, community, travel and many more. I never realized all the wonderful opportunities I had over my 52 years of being an SSND. Saying thanks is not enough, it is what and how I returned and gave back what was given to me.
One of my favorite quotes from our foundress Blessed Theresa is: “No angel is able to count the blessings which even on a single day, God gives to a person.”
A song of gratitude I really like titled GRATEFUL: A Love Song to the World can be heard on YouTube.
1 Dictonary.com. (n.d.). Citation. Retrieved October 20, 2022, https://www.dictionary.com/browse/gratitude.