How hard is it to be thankful when it seems like everything in your life is upside down?

With Thanksgiving around the corner, it seems appropriate to delve into the subject of thankfulness.

As I sat with some of my friends who were victims of Florida’ recent hurricanes, it became evident the hurricanes destroyed more than our homes. It bruised our sense of security and, in some cases, it scattered our thankfulness.

Even writing that sentence I am aware that we have to make a choice. Will we be thankful for all that we have, regardless of our loss? Or, we will lose our willingness to be grateful.

It’s easy to give thanks for God’s gifts when we are swimming in oceans of blessings.

But what about when it’s difficult to swim against the tide of adversity that seems to be crushing us?

As I listened to my friends talk about their losses, I heard their sorrow, and their worry about how they will rebuild.

It wasn’t just the monetary and material losses that was wearing us down. It went deeper than that. Truthfully, so many hurricanes in a row shook our very beings.

I don’t think I ever worried about my future as much as I’ve done when a short two years after I rebuilt after Hurricane Ian my husband and I lost his house from the flood caused by two hurricanes, Helene and Milton.

We kept asking ourselves what would we do if we get victimized by yet another hurricane. We still have no answer to that.

But we do have answers to how we can regain our level of thankfulness.

I realize that the God that took care of me all my life hasn’t abandoned me. And yes, I am still gifted with so many blessings.

It is all of those blessings, both big and small, that brings me to my knees in gratitude.

Because for all that the hurricanes took away, they also added more blessings to the stockpile I already have.

And the crazy thing is, I have even more gratitude than I had before my life was uprooted by hurricanes.

I am brimming with trust and every single day I find much for which to be thankful.

What I’m finding is a renewed appreciation for everything in my life. I take nothing for granted. Instead, I clearly see the gifts I am given. I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I’ve always called my morning walk my gratitude walk.

What has been reinforced in me since the hurricane took my home two years ago is a greater appreciation for what I do have. Rather than taking anything for granted, I see it as a gift for which to be grateful.

The very act of being able to walk is a gift, especially when there are more physical challenges as we age.

There were many years when I could take clear vision for granted, but not anymore.

Now, when I can clearly see all the beauty before me as I walk I see it as another gift, a wonderful gift to savor.

And when two little birds briefly come to entertain me again I am grateful. I stop in my tracks to admire them.

I have a keen appreciation for all birds.

There used to be a huge, magnificent tree across from my backyard. At any given time dozens of great white herons would nest in that tree. At one point I counted three dozen.

Sadly, the hurricane took down most of that tree and the herons disappeared with it.

Just as nature rejuvenates itself, half of the tree that survived is again attracting birds.

After the hurricane, much of our attractive trees, plants and flowers were gone. I am watching nature spring back to life.

See, what I’m trying to tell you is that the hurricane did some good, cultivating in me a deeper appreciation for every little thing.

It also reinforces what is important and what isn’t. It teaches we can get by with a lot less than we had.

I have no desire to begin stockpiling things I lost in our last flood. Because most of my good clothes got wiped out, my friends keep suggesting we go shopping to get some new clothes.

I have absolutely no desire to do that. I joke that God cleaned out my closet and I don’t want to ruin his work. But it’s more like realizing I had excess before and I don’t want to go back to that.

“Things” have lost their luster.

We learn to be content with less. And most of all, we are thankful for everything we do have.

My friend Kay is a perfect example of someone has a lot less than she did before the hurricane destroyed her home. She lost her big home, spacious yard and stunning water view that she loved. I wondered how she would adapt to smaller quarters with very little outdoor space.

Yet, her gratitude is stronger than ever.

“I’m thankful we were able to get another home that fills my bedroom with sunshine,” she says.

See that. It isn’t how much you have that’s important. It’s how grateful you are for what you have.

In this season of thanksgiving, let’s all take stock of our many blessings and give thanks for all our abundant gifts.

Email Pattie Mihalik at newsgirl@comcastnet