Many years ago, I attended a Thanksgiving dinner that included a time for us to share what we were thankful for. I was at a table of people who really didn't know one another very well, and very quickly it became clear the activity was making some of them feel awkward.

Sharing what we are thankful for-- sometimes that's a very vulnerable thing to do. Admitting we aren't thankful and we are hurt or completely broken-- that's also a very vulnerable thing to admit to a bunch of strangers. Even family members. Sitting at that table, it felt like there was a lot of unspoken hurt and frustration.

A few of us shared, but some people stayed quiet and avoided eye contact with one another. It's hard to admit to strangers, family, or friends that your year has been filled with hurt, frustration, bitterness, and anger. I believe, in our darker soul moments, it can be really challenging to practice gratitude if it's not something we are actively doing on a daily basis. It can be even harder to share honestly that we are struggling to be grateful for anything at all.

That's why I love this gratitude list I've created. If you're getting together with strangers or family members you don't know very well this year, consider setting this gratitude list out for anyone to fill out while they are at your house. No pressure to openly share. Just an opportunity to jot something down.

If you're a family with small children, this list is a great way to introduce your children to PUMPKIN PIE! Oh, and it’s a great way to introduce them to considering what they are grateful for. It's also a great way to talk with them about how sometimes life is hard and we struggle to know how to be grateful. Maybe sometime down the road, when they are at a Thanksgiving meal with strangers, they will be advocates for sharing gratitude and for sharing vulnerably when life isn’t peachy and sweet. Vulnerability tends to reflect vulnerability, and maybe that’s not such a bad thing for a group of strangers to share around a good meal.

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