Thanksgiving comes at the perfect time of year to count our blessings. I realized this the other day, driving home in the dark of night at 5:30 p.m. in a cold drizzle of rain. I was grumpy. I was cold. I had a list of things to do a mile long that would be waiting for me when I walked in the door, but all I was really interested in doing was getting a hot drink and a moment of quiet. It hit me right then that I was lacking an attitude of gratitude and I needed to adjust my mindset.
I am sure I am not the only one who experiences this perspective in November. The change of the seasons can trigger negativity that can be hard to shake. Amazingly, one of the most effective tools to flip a negative perspective to a positive one is practicing gratitude.
When we begin to become overwhelmed with all the things that are wrong on the farm, in our family, in the world, it takes deliberate effort to look at what is going right and what will be better in the future. Gratitude doesn’t just naturally flow from within us; we have to consciously generate gratitude.
The other wonderful thing about gratitude is that it is contagious. Once we have generated gratitude and begin expressing it, others tend to follow suit, and the heavy weight of negativity begins to lift.
I hope that the bits of gratitude I share today will spread to everyone who reads them and inspire you to make space for gratitude in your life.
One that comes to the top of my list is grasslands. I am thankful for grasslands and the resources they provide to our ecosystems. Grasslands are full of vibrant life and provide nutritious food for my food to consume. Grasslands build soil health, beneficial insect populations, absorb water, filter runoff and protect soil from disturbance.
I am also thankful for the people who manage grasslands for the benefit of humanity. It is not a glamorous lifestyle to manage grazing and hay systems, but it is an important one. Many forage producers do work in the background that goes without thanks on a public scale.
I am thankful for dark evenings that remind us of the importance of rest. When the world goes dark, it is a reminder that we deserve time to pause and recharge, too.
I am thankful that I am needed. I wake up in the morning with a purpose. My family needs me to care for them. My animals are waiting to be fed. My job depends on me to serve the people of Ohio. Without that driving sense of purpose, I would feel lost.
I am thankful for my friends and colleagues. Even when life feels isolating, I am surrounded by people who share common goals, share their life experiences and offer support in times of need.
I am thankful that I am not navigating life alone. Our farming community may often feel isolated, but we at Ohio State University Extension are here to be the friend and resource you may need during those times.
Thanksgiving is about more than being thankful for a full table of food and an afternoon nap. It goes deeper. It draws the warmth of the heart out when the season is dark and our outlook can be bleak. Thanksgiving comes right on time every year for me to realign and generate gratitude.
At a time when less than 2% of our population is farmers, we are especially thankful that there are still people who dedicate their lives to feeding others. We at OSU Extension are here to help you get through the day-to-day and improve along the way. Providing resources that support forage systems is just one way we can say, “thank you!”
For personalized assistance related to forage crops, reach out to your local extension office or explore the resources available online at forages.osu.edu.
