The art of giving thanks...

thanks⋅giv⋅ing[thangks-giv-ing] 
–noun 1. the act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors.

Thanksgiving is by far my most favourite holiday of them all... it has yet to be overdone by the media or hyped up and commercialized. It is a chance for families and friends to gather and be thankful for what they have in their lives.But do we really need to set one day aside every year to show our thanks? Shouldn't we show thanks when thanks is due?

Shouldn't it be a constant factor in our everyday lives?I know I try my best to show thanks when I know it is needed. I am so very thankful for the important people in my life (friends and family). They are my pillars, they keep me going when the times get tough and I am ready to give up.
It wouldn't be fair for me to let a year go by without showing thanks to those important people.The list of important people in my life has changed over the years, but that doesn’t mean that I am less thankful to the people who were there along the way back then. I am still thankful to the people I was close with in high school, overseas, college and the post college days... even though most of them no longer play a large roll in my life, because at one point they did... friends have a tendency to come and go... but I am very grateful and thankful for the handful of them that have stayed over the years because I truly believe that I would be lost without them.
So I think each and every one of us needs to make a more conscious effort to show thanks to the people that
Over the past year, I have had plenty to be thankful for, and most of it comes back to the friends I talked about earlier. It has been a year since I ended the worst relationship of my life, and I am proud I finally found my feet and walked away when I did, and I only did it because I had the friends backing me up. It wasn't easy and lead to a tough couple of months... but during those couple of months I had my friends when I needed them the most.
When my hours were cut at work, I had the same group of friends to cry to and vent to.
When my heart was stomped on again and again, I had the same people to turn to.
When my grandmother died, and I realized that I wasn't heartless, and that she wasn't heartless and that we both really did love eachother... I had the friends to turn to, and they came through in amazing measures. I didn't think it would be that tough to lose her, but the friends made it more bearable.
When the crazy I had walked away from in October returned, and I had to change my phone... the same people were there reminding me although my reaction may have seemed a bit extreme, it got my point across.
When I nearly had to back out of an important event because I was beyond broke because I had loaned out too much of my own money, I had two amazing friends offer support.
When I met the love of my life, it was the same group of friends to share the news with.
When I got accepted to school, and my student loans came through I had the friends and family to share the exciting news with (even if they didn't want to see me leave).
When I had to move, I had friends help me pack, move and reassure me even though it wasn't easy - it was the right move to make.
And in between and after all of that there have been tough days, and grouchy days, and good days and happy days, and confusing days and indecisive days.... and through all of those days - I have had the same group of friends and family cheering me on, helping me out, listening and offering advice when needed... and for that, I am truly grateful and beyond thankful for... if only there were a way to explain how far the thanks and gratefulness goes...