Turkey, stuffing, gravy, green beans, mashed potatoes, and apple pie.

 I bet the image that came to mind was that of your family fighting over the largest slice of pumpkin pie, though I do apologize if I made you hungry.

 This exaggerated festival of food is the concept we associate Thanksgiving with, is it not? We skip breakfast and eat a light lunch so we can truly take advantage of the feast we look forward to all year. 

In recent years, as a society we have been criticized as materialistic and looked down upon for our over-celebration of this awaited holiday.

 However, when the reasons for this magnificent feast are taken into consideration everything makes sense and hopefully all the rising misconceptions can be put to rest. 

Thanksgiving dinner is not about having a nicely decorated table and ending the night with our stomachs full, it is not about the beautiful arrangements of food put on display, or about getting to pick an outfit and dressing cute. 

Thanksgiving dinner is not about the dinner, but about having someone or some people to share that dinner with. It is making time for them and honoring them by actively choosing to spend that sacred day with the people you deem most important. 

Sharing that dinner, breaking bread with them, and enjoying their company is a way to spread that sense of gratitude that Thanksgiving instills in us. 

It is the season to be thankful. It is a yearly wake up call to count our blessings and to pray for those who are not as fortunate.

So as soon as Miami’s temperature drops below 80 degrees and we can go from crop-tops to coats: stop, walk around, and appreciate the blessings around you. 

 Be thankful for the gift of being you, for being alive, for your family, for the opportunities you have been presented with. This is our time to smile at life and our time to appreciate not only others around us, but also ourselves. 

As much Thanksgiving is and will always be associated with gravy and turkey, it will never actually be about the gravy and the turkey or the 15 different varieties of plates placed beside them. 

On the calendar Thanksgiving is a day, however what it really should be is a state of mind. 

Because while Thanksgiving Serves as a reminder to count our blessings, being grateful and appreciating the little things should be a part of our everyday lives.