|
 
 THANKS,
FORGIVING
DAY
by Bob
Perks
"It's
happening
already!"
he said to
me.
"What?"
"The last
I looked
it was
July 4th
and now
suddenly
it's the
holiday
season,"
he said
smiling.
"I'm not
ready for
this at
all," I
told him.
"Oh, it
may have
come too
fast, but
I'm always
ready for
my
'Thanks
Forgiving
Day!'"
"You mean
Thanksgiving
Day?"
"Oh, that
too!"
"I'm
confused!"
I said.
"Well,
Thanksgiving
Day isn't
celebrated
on the
same day
around the
world.
I'm
not even
sure if
some
countries
have such
a day.
So
I
celebrate
Thanksgiving
Day
with
my family
and
friends in
America.
However,
the day
before
Thanksgiving,
I
celebrate
'Thanks,
Forgiving
Day'
with
all
my
international
friends as
well as
those here
at home."
"Do you
travel
that
much?"
"Oh, no.
I've never
had that
luxury.
I
met all of
these
wonderful
people on
the
Internet."
"I call
them
'friends
I've never
met'," I
said
proudly.
"I too,
have
many from
around the
world."
"Well then
you must
celebrate
it, too."
"Tell me
about it."
"Well, on
Thanksgiving
Day
I give
thanks for
all the
blessings
in my
life.
Good
health,
love,
friendship,
work,
the
food I eat
and
everything
I
value."
He paused
for a
moment,
took a
deep
breath and
sighed
with great
satisfaction
that his
life is so
blessed.
"But on
'Thanks
Forgiving
Day', the
Wednesday
before,
I
make an
effort
to ask for
forgiveness
for any
wrongs I
have done.
Even the
smallest
things
that may
have gone
unchecked
over the
past year.
You know,
those
little
things
that may
have hurt
someone's
feelings
and I
didn't
realize
it.
But
also the
big things
which may
have
caused a
hurt or
lost
friendship.
I simply
ask
everyone
to forgive
me and
thank them
for
opening
their
hearts to
me again."
I stood
there
listening
to this
wonderful
man.
He
was one of
those
people
whom you
immediately
trusted.
His voice,
his
demeanor,
were warm
and
welcoming.
It was a
wonderful
thought. A
gesture
that gives
hope to
the world.
To think
that in
some small
way
we
could
undermine
all of the
hate and
anger in
the world
by humbly
asking to
be
forgiven
even when
we have
done
nothing
wrong.
The
act itself
is a
reflection
of the
greatest
love God
has
for us.
"So will
you join
me?" he
asked.
"I just
did!"
To you, my
friend,
reading
this
message:
When I
awaken
each
morning
my heart
sings a
grateful
tune to
God
for
giving me
still
another
chance to
make a
difference
in this
world.
On this --
my Thanks,
Forgiving
Day --
I
humbly ask
for your
forgiveness
if I have
slighted
you in any
way during
the past
year.
I
treasure
your
presence
in my life
and if you
would
forgive
me,
I
would be
forever
grateful.
Thanks!
I invite
you to
join us on
Wednesday,
November
23rd as we
celebrate,
Thanks,
Forgiving
Day!
Bob
Perks
Bob@BobPerks.com
Bob is a
Heartwarmer
Gem
and a
professional
speaker,
author,
and
vocalist.
You are
welcomed
to visit
his new
story
website
and sign
up to
receive
his
free email
newsletter
at:
http://www.iwishyouenough.com
To read
the
archives
of past
stories:
http://www.topica.com/lists/Ibelieveinyou/read.
~You won't be sorry!
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