Finding ways to express gratefulness is something we regularly encourage for our kids here at Eagle Village. There are actual scientific benefits of gratitude, including improved psychological health, enhancing empathy and reducing aggression, better sleep, and improved self-esteem. This should motivate us to practice thankfulness all year round!
It’s been a unique year, so it only fits that we be unique in our efforts to show the people we love that we are thankful for them. Here are a couple of ways to put a smile on somebody’s face today!
1. Send a Memento
A memento is something that is kept as a reminder of a person or an event. Saving something that reminds you of somebody and then bringing it up to them at a later time can express feelings of gratitude, special bonding, or even rekindling of relationships. It shows that you intentionally gave meaning to a shared experience and that you want them to remember it through this memento. It could be an old photograph, a note, a souvenir, or even a screenshot of old text messages that meant something important to you.
2. Write an Old-Fashioned, Handwritten Letter
Ah, the lost art of handwriting! This is something that will nearly always put a smile on somebody’s face. Taking the time to sit down and write to someone you care about shows pure gratitude and intentionality. You could even be creative and practice your calligraphy on the envelope!
3. Record a Short Video
If you’d rather stick with today’s form of communication, grab your phone, and record a video! It could be of you or a group telling somebody how you’re thankful for them. You could even combine this with #1 and retell a funny story you share from the past! Here is an example of a video we did to say thank you to our amazing donors in 2019.
4. Use Your Unique Talents
Do you have a special skill or gift? Use it to serve somebody and show you’re thankful for them! Whether it be cooking, photography, welding, singing, gardening, woodworking, or anything you can think of, use what God has gifted you with to gift to others. This is loving our neighbor, as well as giving us a personal sense of fulfillment.
So what are you thankful for? We encourage you to pick one of these ideas and act on it as you prepare your hearts for the Thanksgiving season!
Personally, we are thankful for our hardworking staff, our committed foster care families, and our amazing donors. We feel compelled to tell them they are awesome as often as we can. We couldn’t serve Michigan’s kids and families without them! If you or someone you know is interested in getting involved in any of these areas please click one of those links and reach out to us today. We’d love to tell you thank you for getting involved!
