CREATIVE THINKING: The art of thankfulness
The other day I was talking with my sister Denise, who lives out of state. During the course of our conversation, she said something that made me pause and think. A friend visiting her asked how it was discovered I was artistic.
As I was listening to Denise, I was trying to decide how I would even answer that question. Denise had no hesitation at all; she remembered a story I had long since forgotten.
"When my brother was 6 or 7 years old, he drew a picture with crayons of some azaleas in the front of the house we were living in at the time. Even then my brother was different and able to see details that the rest of us couldn't," she told her friend.
"What do you mean? Drawing all the azalea blooms?" he asked.
"Yes, that along with a mama cat with her entire litter of kittens playing under the azalea bushes! It was then my parents knew my brother had been given special talents and needed to develop and share them with others," Denise explained.
"Wow," I thought to myself. What a sweet thing for my sister to say! Then my mind went wandering back in time and I could clearly see the drawing she was talking about.
"I wonder what happened to that drawing?" I asked Denise.
"Mother kept it in her cedar chest for years. I don't know what happened to it after that," Denise answered.
Long after I finished chatting with Denise, I couldn't get her story off my mind. How blessed I was to not only be given creative abilities but also to have loving parents who encouraged me to make the very most of them. Often they unselfishly spent money on my art lessons while giving up other things they needed.
What if I had been born to another family who didn't care about me? Where and what would I be doing right now?
Thanksgiving is a time set aside to remind us to give thanks for all the blessings we have. Being grateful always has been a very important part of my life. I knew early on that I had been entrusted with a gift that could easily be taken away from me. Never have I doubted how precious it is, and I thank God for it every day.
One of the best parts of my gift is sharing it with others. Nothing makes me smile more than to know something I have created affected someone else in a positive way. I realize I'm doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing when reading one of my columns brings up a special memory for someone, or one of my creations inspires them.
This past year, I have made a conscious effort to rejoice and be thankful for all the good things surrounding me while minimizing the bad. Without a doubt, I have learned that choosing to concentrate on goodness pushes darkness away and opens the door for other positive things to enter our lives.
What we dwell on is what we become. We have the ability to decide how we react to life's circumstances.
All the negativity and hate presently swirling around the world can leave us feeling helpless and afraid about our future. Negativity has the power to start wars between countries and puts wedges between friends and family. We get so sucked into this dark cloud that we miss important chances to give thanks for what we have.
Wallowing in self-pity is an easy outlet to choose in the midst of a bad day. We're all guilty of this at times. Hectic schedules and overwhelming circumstances gladly team up to make us have ungrateful thoughts and negative feelings. We end up complaining about our lives while focusing on the things we don't have, rather than the blessings we do have.
My list of things to be thankful for is so long I can't even begin to list it all here. Instead, it is my goal to be appreciative each time I see someone or something around me that blesses me in any way. Offering thanks doesn't have to be showy or loud.
On my journey through life, I've discovered there are other ways to offer gratitude that require no words.
I've learned to never take a single moment for granted because, in the blink of an eye, it could all be taken away. I've seen it happen with my mother with a horrible car accident and with my daddy with the debilitating grip of depression. Instead of dwelling on the way they died, I'm so grateful I had them as parents.
If they hadn't noticed my gifts and encouraged me, I may never have found my true calling. For that, I give thanks!
MORE WITH MARK
Come see Mark and some of his latest designs, cookbooks and new Christmas creations at "Our Favorite Things" from 1-3 p.m. Friday, located at 3259 Vineville Ave. For more information, call 478-254-7843.
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Mark Ballard's column runs each week in The Telegraph. Send your questions or comments to P.O. Box 4232, Macon, GA 31208; call 478-757-6877; email markballard@cox.net; follow him at instagram.com/markcreates; or become a subscriber to Mark's Facebook page.
This story was originally published November 21, 2015 at 4:06 PM with the headline "CREATIVE THINKING: The art of thankfulness ."