Gratitude Looks Like Showing Up
Thanksgiving is almost here. The stores are full of pumpkin-shaped everything. Half the county is brining turkeys. The other half is Googling what “brining” means.
And somewhere in the middle of all that, we take a moment to feel thankful.
But I think gratitude is more than just a feeling. It is something we do.
It shows up in how we treat people. How we respond when someone needs help. How we carry ourselves when no one is looking.
Especially here in Tuolumne County.
Around Here, Gratitude Looks Like This
It looks like a neighbor who checks in on the woman down the road when the power goes out (Anyone ever meet Alicia Hartle?).
It looks like someone at the Twain Harte Market slipping a few extra dollars to cover the person in front of them (Finger at you Liz Miller).
It looks like a volunteer coach who brings snacks, gas money, and enough patience to guide a team of 12-year-olds through a full season without losing their mind. (Looking at you Trever East)
Gratitude is the guy who helps clear a downed tree on Confidence Rd. without being asked (Have you met Adam Dragland or John Williams?).
It is the teacher who stays late to help a student finish a science fair project held together with duct tape and optimism (You know Nancy Hoyt? How about Molly Ragland? And every other teacher in our county) .
We do these things not because we are trying to impress anyone. We do them because we live here. We care about each other. And because deep down, we all want to live in a place where people still show up for each other.
This Time of Year, That Matters Even More
Not everyone in our community is having an easy season.
Some folks are heading into the holidays alone.
Some families are stretching every dollar to make ends meet.
Some of our seniors are quietly skipping meals so their grandkids can have something extra at Christmas.
And some of our neighbors are just tired. Worn thin. Hanging on.
This is when showing up matters most.
Gratitude in Action Is Simple
Here are a few ways to practice it this week:
Bring a meal to someone who does not expect it
Check in on an elder who lives alone
Buy from a local shop or market instead of clicking online
Let someone cut in line who clearly looks like they are about to lose it
Say thank you to someone who makes your life easier and probably never gets credit for it
None of this requires a government grant or a ten-point plan. Just noticing. Just caring. Just doing.
What I Am Thankful For?
I am thankful for my family, for my wife who is my beacon in the darkness.
I am thankful for our messy, beautiful, stubborn, generous county.
I am thankful for the people who keep giving even when they do not have a lot to give.
I am thankful for the guy who fixes our roads even when it is dumping rain… OR SNOW!.
I am thankful for the moms and dads running the snack bar.
And the volunteers who organize and work the community Christmas dinner.
And the people who have never stopped believing that this community still matters.
This Thanksgiving, I am going to do my best to keep showing up for this place. I hope you will too.
