Turkey, Taylor Swift...

And why I'm thankful that gratitude multiplies.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so thoughts naturally shift to turkey and gratitude.
My niece’s husband is smoking a turkey for our family gathering. So even though Bob and I are hosting, I don’t have to give much thought to the turkey itself. (A small Thanksgiving miracle in its own right.) Pumpkin bars and cream cheese frosting, yes. Turkey, not so much.

But I have been thinking a lot about gratitude. About how it works, how it feels, how it becomes a portal back to love when we’ve drifted into fear.

And especially about how gratitude multiplies what we already have simply by shifting our focus from scarcity to abundance. That’s the miracle: What I give thanks for increases.

That brought to mind the story of the loaves and fishes, so I went back and read it again. And there it was, plain as day. Before anything multiplied, before anyone was fed, before anything astonishing happened, Jesus did one thing:

He gave thanks. Right there at the beginning. He paused, and he blessed what was already there.

I’m thinking of all the expressions of gratitude that will be spoken tomorrow. The grace before we dive into stuffing (appropriately named). The rituals families do—going around the table and naming something they’re grateful for. Words of thanks that fill dining rooms (or family rooms with TVs tuned to football games) across the country.

Gratitude comes before abundance. Gratitude opens the door to abundance.

A Course in Miracles says it this way:

“To give thanks before the miracle has occurred is faith in the outcome.”

I love knowing that gratitude isn’t a reaction. It’s a cause. It shifts our consciousness from fear to love, and love is the place where miracles occur.

Here’s something I’ve noticed over the years: The most grateful people I know live the most abundant lives.

Not because they necessarily have the most money or the nicest house or a closet full of expensive shoes (some of them do, but it’s not the point).

Their abundance shows up differently. Their lives overflow with friendship, joy, support, generosity, a sense of belonging, meaningful connection. They’re rich in connection. And they give thanks for it every day.

When I think of the multiplication effect of gratitude, oddly enough, I think of Taylor Swift. I remember in her earlier days, when she was not yet a billionaire, she’d stand on stage and look out at the crowd with a look of awe on her face as they applauded her.

At one point my skeptical ego wondered if it was fake humility. But I think it was gratitude. I think she was appreciating the moment so much that the crowds naturally became bigger. Of course, she’s worked hard and written a lot of great songs to get where she is. But I think the energetic fuel came from the multiple action effect of gratitude.

When we bless what we already have, even if it looks small…even if it looks like “only”…
we experience the same spiritual law the loaves and fishes demonstrate: What we appreciate increases.

A moment of grace expands into an afternoon of peace. A single kind word changes the whole tone of a conversation. A spark of inspiration leads to a project, then a collaboration. A small act of generosity ripples outward in ways we’ll never fully know.

This is the multiplication effect of gratitude. It’s subtle but powerful.

So as you gather tomorrow—whether at a long table or a quiet one, with a house full of people or the companionship of a beloved pet, I hope your day is filled with gratitude that multiplies what you already have—and opens the door to all the good things on their way.

With love and gratitude,
Deb

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Join me and Julie Gammack for some grateful conversation on Friday

And speaking of gratitude and connection, I want to share something special. Friday morning at 10 a.m. Central, Julie Gammack and I will be doing a Substack Live together.

Julie, as many of you know, is the founder of the Okoboji Writers and Songwriters Retreat and the Iowa Writers Collaborative (and she’s been expertly co-teaching our Substack classes for Story Summit).

Julie and I have known each other for several decades, and at this stage of life we find ourselves doing remarkably similar work for remarkably similar reasons—because we believe in the power of story and its ability to do good in this world.

We don't know just where the conversation will take us, but I’m pretty sure writing and gratitude will be there front and center. (And she’ll probably tell the story about a conversation we had years ago about folding sheets….:)

We’d love to have you join us for that conversation. Julie is initiating the Substack Live, so if you subscribe to her Substack, you’ll receive the notification to join. And if you can’t attend live, I’ll share the video with you afterward. Stay tuned!

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A NOTE TO MY READERS: I write “A World of Your Own” as a member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative, which is led by Julie Gammack, of Des Moines. I’m honored to be part of this group, featuring the diverse voices of more than 70 professional writers and journalists across the state of Iowa. I encourage you to check out their columns.