Given that this month includes the Thanksgiving holiday, it seems appropriate to take a moment to consider and recognize all the blessings God has provided in our lives. I have found older adults are especially mindful or the unique and various ways God “showed up” in critical moments throughout their lives.
One of the verses that comes to mind in this spirit of gratitude and thankfulness is Psalm 100:4-5 which states:
“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to The Lord and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.”
Even secular psychologists have long agreed on the link between a spirit of “gratitude” and a positive and healthier outlook on life for older adults. By looking at what we have to be grateful for, we are less apt to focus on the negatives of life (and not allow those negatives to smother our joy). Friends, family and faith can all be sources of a grateful spirit and bring memories of people and times in which we are grateful – not only in this special time of Thanksgiving, but hopefully throughout the year.
