This weekend is Thanksgiving Weekend. It has always been a special time of the year for me. I tend to find myself working out in the yard putting things away for the winter with plenty of time to think about life in general. There is a lot to complain about today, but there is also a lot to be thankful for. Usually, when we take the time to recognize our blessings, our troubles don’t seem quite so large.

For example, many of us will spend a lot of time worrying about which restaurant to go to for Thanksgiving dinner, while others will be wondering if there will be any food at all on the table. Others will be upset that they couldn’t fit into the expensive dress they saw in the fashion store the other day, while still others will be trying to find enough money to buy new snow shoes for their little daughter.

At times we look at others and feel sorry for them, wishing that we could do something to help them get through their difficulties. But in many cases, it is the very people who seem to be poorest who are the rich ones. They are the ones who see life through different eyes, choosing to be thankful for what they have instead of what they don’t have.

Take for example the old man who showed up at the back door of the house rented by a couple of college students. As the students cracked open the door, they saw that his eyes were glassy and his face unshaven. He said hello to them and offered to sell them some apples and oranges he was carrying in an old basket. Although they had all the fruit they needed already, the students made a purchase, mostly because they felt pity for the old man and partly because they were afraid of him.

The visits became more regular. The students began to realize the glaze on his eyes was the result of cataracts, not alcohol. They became accustomed to sound of his shuffling feet every morning. Sometimes he wore mismatched shoes. He would often pull out a harmonica and begin playing sad, gospel tunes in the middle of conversations with the students.

The students realized that the old man didn’t have many friends. Perhaps they were the only people who paid any attention to him. He showed them the old shack where he lived and continued to sell apples and oranges to the students almost every single day.

On one visit he said to the students, "What a day! I came out of my shack this morning and found a bag full of shoes and clothing on my porch."

The students celebrated with him, not letting on that it was they who had purchased the shoes and clothes and placed them on the porch as a gift. They wanted to remain anonymous.

"We’re really glad for you," they exclaimed.

Then the old man added, "You know what’s even more wonderful? Just yesterday I met some people who could really use them."

The old man taught the students something very important about life that day. No matter how little you have or how little you know, you still have something you can do for both yourself and for others. The old man enjoyed the life he was living and was grateful for the shoes, clothing and friendships he had with others. He was thankful for the opportunity to share his good fortune with someone less fortunate than himself.

That’s what Thanksgiving weekend is all about. Taking a good look at yourself and discovering what you can do for yourself and others. It doesn’t take much effort to do some small thing to make someone’s life happier. And in doing so, you will be amazed at how much it does for you.