Who Will You Be Thanking For All You Have Become?

You should have seen me, standing alone on stage under the bright lights with the shinning award in one hand and my prepared speech in the other, ready to thank the Academy.

Of course, the only place you could have seen this play out was in my mind. Because it never actually happened.

Sometimes when I’m watching those award shows on TV I playfully wonder who I would thank in my acceptance speech for winning a Grammy. I envision myself emotionally thanking everyone who has gotten me to this point, those who believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself, my family, my mentors, the fans…and, of course, Mom!

If you’ve ever heard me sing you’d know I’d never win a karaoke contest let alone a Grammy. Nor would I expect to win an Oscar, an Emmy, a Tony, a People’s Choice Award, or a Golden Globe. No moment of glory for me standing in front of my peers speaking to the world.

But I still have plenty of people to thank.

There are no red carpets or designer gowns in everyday life. No paparazzi. No limos. No Mario Lopez. For many, though, simply getting through the day is an outstanding performance.

There are those who make the heaviness of our life’s journey a little lighter, those who’ve sacrificed by putting us ahead of them, those we can count on when at times we can’t even count upon ourselves. It is those who are especially worthy and deserving of our expression of thanks and gratitude, even without the bright lights, even if they are an audience of one.

We celebrate Thanksgiving as a holiday, as an annual event often defined by food and football. But Thanksgiving is really a mindset of appreciation and gratitude which should include deciding to acknowledge and recognize those who help make our lives as blessed as they are, every day of the year.

When you write your acceptance speech acknowledging all you have and all you’ve become in your life, who will you be thanking?

Now go tell them.

It’s a great day to be you!