Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for the many blessings that we have received throughout the year. This is a time that people gather together with family and friends to laugh and to just enjoy each other’s company. On Thanksgiving Day, my family and I share a tradition that we do after we say “grace” for our food. We ask everyone seated around the table to share what they are most thankful for.
Many times, I am so touched to hear the genuine expressions of love and gratitude that is spoken from the heart. It feels like a “Big Old Love Feast” that has everyone experiencing “warm fuzzies” on the inside. That is what intimacy is and what it feels like. Sharing truth from one’s heart connects a person’s soul with the words that are spoken from the heart of another. Moments like these create long-lasting intimate memories with those we love the most. How precious it is to celebrate and show that kind of appreciation to one another. People love to feel appreciated and the more we express how grateful we are towards each other the more we will experience it in our lives.
However, I often think about the need to continue that kind of celebration and appreciation in our marriages, especially towards our spouses, which can strengthen our marital bond throughout the year. In my book, The ESP Marriage, I talk about the many ways to develop true intimacy in marriages by building a strong emotional, spiritual, and physical connection. One of the most powerful ways to do that is by being thankful for all of the wonderful things that we have in our spouses that makes our marriages good.
Take a moment and examine what you truly have to be grateful for in your marriage. Think specifically about what you have to be grateful for in your spouse. Maybe you are thankful that the two of you are still together after all these years; especially after all that you two have been through. Or maybe you are thankful for still having a roof over your head and a job to provide for your family during this economic downturn. Perhaps you love the fact that you and your spouse still call each other throughout the day just to see how each other’s day is going. How about when one of you surprised the other and made dinner for the whole family or helped around the house? What about the time when one of you were sick and your spouse took care of you? Celebrate that this year your birthday or anniversary wasn’t forgotten which made you feel extra special. Whatever it is, think about the positive things that you all add to each other’s lives on a daily basis.
Next, let each other know that you notice the things that he/she does that are often taken for granted and how much you appreciate them. Write a list of those things, place them in an envelope mist with perfume and sealed with a lipstick kiss, or place in a gift box or enclosed with a bouquet of flowers. Give your husband or wife the list later that night and look forward to something else you will be able to add to your list of thankfulness. Hint, hint… (Smile)! This just might be the gift that keeps on giving!
Happy Thanksgiving!
