I had my German friends over last night to experience an American Thanksgiving. One offered to bring cabbage. Another said she would bring peanut butter, because “it’s so American.”

I made pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, stuffing, roasted cauliflower, brussels sprouts and cranberry bars. I even preordered a turkey breast from the farmers’ market!

I really enjoyed preparing for the feast this week. The smells, the stress of getting all the food, the candles and decorations…all made me feel connected to Thanksgiving even though I’m far away.

I also reflected on all the different apartments where I’ve made Thanksgiving dinner, all the families who invited me over when I was away from my own, all the friends with whom I’ve shared this holiday over the years. I really have a resume full of Thanksgiving feasts!

It was a little strange going to work and treating the day just like any other day (but I made sure to tell anyone who would listen that it was Thanksgiving). I told my dinner guests the story of Thanksgiving (the story we were told as kids and then the real story). And how we dressed up like pilgrims and Indians as kids. They thought the whole thing was beyond weird.

I also made us go around the table and talk about what we were grateful for. Of course, the more wine we drank, the more grateful we got.

I wanted to share this simple video I found about the discipline of gratitude.
The Discipline of Gratitude

And to take it one step further, I thought this article was great (thanks again Mara for introducing me to this site!)
Gratitude is great — paying it forward is even better

Paying it forward matches gratitude (it makes us happy) and multiplies it (it makes other people happy and perpetuates the happiness).

Paying it forward is when you do something kind or generous or helpful for someone without being asked or expecting something in return. The only requirement is that the person who receives the kindness then extends one to someone else, and so on.

We’d argue, however, that even if the receiver doesn’t pay it forward in turn, he or she has been affected in a positive way. And their response will manifest more goodness: smiling a bit more that day, perhaps, or displaying more patience than usual.

Intending to make a difference
Doing good unto others because you can is encouraging and contagious. And that stems from the dual intention behind paying it forward.

1. It makes us feel better about ourselves. That alone improves life, much like gratitude does.

2. It also counteracts other people’s negative beliefs and shifts their perspective (temporarily or otherwise). It might restore someone’s faith in humankind. It might give someone hope. It might provoke someone to make his life or another’s life better in some way.

There are no rules about how to pay it forward or how often.

It’s a game-changer, this giving without expectation. It gives us the power to reshape our existence, to stay above the fray, to keep trying. “The greatest untapped source of motivation,” says Professor Grant, “is a sense of service to others.”

How can you start paying it forward?