Heart to Heart – Thinking Thankfulness

Karen Coney Coplin

Recently, I read a quote: Love begins with love and, with any luck, ends with love.

What then, is the in between? Hopefully, a mostly happy state, with more joy than grief or, at least, a balance that is manageable. There is no denying that 2024 has been a year that has tested our resiliency, with Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Helene here in our own backyards. Not to mention the utter devastation Helene has caused throughout much of North Carolina, Tennessee, in addition to Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia.

News of this disaster is both despairing and numbing in its scale. Worlds away, war tears at the Middle East and continues in the Ukraine. And these are just part of the bigger picture.

If it is also true that the little things are the big things though, we can boost our own resolve to appreciate a valued connection with others and the world around us.

In so doing, we shore up our mental and physical health and well-being by bearing witness to the beauty in our lives. This is no small task even in the best of times, but we are happier when we are thankful.

In the spirit of the month of Thanksgiving, I offer some suggestions for expressing and acknowledging the benefits of gratitude.

You can start at home. What do you love? This year, in particular, it may be that you’ve been kept safe from storms. And with this, I appreciate the sound of rain on my metal roof.

Venture out to your surrounding neighborhood. I live near one of the county libraries but also a little lending library, installed by a thoughtful neighbor. It never fails to bring a smile to my face when I pass by this collection of books offered freely to passers by.

It’s always nice to receive personal correspondence in your mailbox, and I’ve upped the ante by thanking my mail carrier when I see her. And a holiday gift card will soon be an order! I always tell her with a smile that I love when those personal letters arrive. It reminds me to send a few of my own.

There are also nearby businesses which I frequent often enough that I’ve become a regular. It’s always fun to snap a picture and give them a high five online in social media. Word of mouth, whether in person or digital, is a recommendation people trust.

Also, in my neighborhood I see plenty of blue’s greens and a variety of shades of pink and red… flora and fauna both. There are a number of beautiful plants, creatures and decorative effects available all around, just by taking the time to notice.

Thanksgiving is a holiday centered around food + drink. While not a traditional holiday beverage, a good cup of coffee warms the hands and heart.

Every day and especially this month, I’m intentional in selecting mugs that have a message which makes me smile, or reminds me of a favorite person. If there was ever a time well suited for comfort food, the month of November fits the bill.

Maybe you have a favorite dish which has been a Thanksgiving Day tradition or maybe, for any number of reasons, it might be omitted this year. The only constant, of course, is change. Or maybe you mix it up and serve something new and recommended along with your family favorites. And this Thanksgiving dinner celebration will become a new memory you can hold dear.

As you gather with loved ones at Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving, don’t forget to have your favorite songs playing in the background. Music is healing in every conceivable way, joyously in many instances.

So, feel free to sing or dance along, lifting yourself and companions along the way.

Please contact Karen at NaplesKCC@gmail.com with suggestions for future article coverage, which is often centered uncharitable organizations in Naples and the programs/services these groups offer. Additionally, for more vignettes about life in Naples, give her a follow on Instagram @Naplesbythenumbers.