A few years ago, I was invited to join my cousins for a summer vacation at a villa in Tuscany, Italy. As I prepared for my journey, I marveled at my extraordinary good fortune and blessings to be included on such a trip and for the generosity of my sweet cousins. Every time I would do something to get ready for the trip, I found myself pausing for a moment of gratitude.

My cousins picked me up at the Pisa Airport and that’s when the moments of gratitude became more evident. I was more conscious of my gratitude. Conscious gratitude goes deeper. There is a feeling that washes over me that is like tingling blessings enveloping my energy field.

We drove through the countryside, past fields of sunflowers in full bloom. I expressed to my cousins, “Let’s pause for a moment of gratitude.” They all laughed and agreed it was lovely. I started reading all the signs in Italian which I am sure made everyone around me crazy after a while. I am a full blooded one and a half generation Italian (that means my mom was born in Italy and my father’s parents were born in Italy) so being in these surroundings felt like coming home. I would again repeat that I was pausing for a moment of gratitude; I was getting to practice my Italian even if I didn’t know what the words I was saying meant! I asked, “ Does anyone want to join me? I am having a moment of gratitude.”

As the days progressed, I continued with the “moments of gratitude.” They began occurring more frequently. There were 11 of us all together. I would stop the conversation by our Tuscan pool, by the vineyards, by the Gelato Grotto, by the Cathedral in Sienna, by the steep streets in San Giminagno and make everyone pause for a “Moment of Gratitude.” (Take notice that I have now put moment of gratitude in quotes and capitals are coming into the picture.) My cousins love me, so they put up with my antics and would pause and look around and feel the gratitude for how lucky we are/were to have each other and this time together in Italy. But they also rolled their eyes and teased me about it.

After we returned home, I began to hear stories from my cousins about how one cousin or another made them all stop for a “Moment of Gratitude.” One after another they would start expressing their moments to me via email and phone calls.

Expressing gratitude and stopping in the moment to recognize and acknowledge the immense blessings that are constantly around all of us, creates more blessings, more abundance and more of the good things in life. We are surrounded by goodness. In order to realize it, we must recognize it, acknowledge it and give gratitude for it. The more we stop for the “Moment of Gratitude,” we will find less lack, negativity and discord in our lives. It works as I am the living proof. And you probably know it too! Let this be our reminder during our season of harvest and giving thanks.

May we allow Thanksgiving and Giving Thanks to be part of our daily lives. May we all pause for a “Moment of Gratitude” many times a day. May we use our time to list the many blessings in our life instead of the worries and negative thoughts that roll around in our consciousness. May we always recognize the many blessings surrounding us and give thanks in advance for the many more to come. We are all truly blessed!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Margaret Ann Lembo