Here we are with another holiday season up on us, and so quickly! This likely finds you in the hustle in the bustle of the season's festivities which if you're like me always seem to kick off Thanksgiving week!

Family gatherings and all the related pandemonium-like on goings of the holidays can be a bit of a distraction from the deeper meaning of Thanksgiving. I seem to find myself so entrenched in the excitement of it all that I forget to appreciate the simpler delights of life. In the spirit of this, I'm inspired to share this wonderful story with you. It is always such a good reminder to relax, be with longtime friends and family, find peace with the now and be grateful for even the seemingly small wonders that come our way:

According to legend, a young man while roaming the desert came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher. After a four-day journey he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.

Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container. The student challenged his teacher: "Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?"

The teacher replied, "You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of living-kindness and nothing could be sweeter."

May this story be a reminder that your world is created by how you choose to see it. Remember to take a breath, slow down and appreciate all that you do have - because you do have a lot. Taste the gift of appreciation on Thanksgiving and this holiday season!

Warmly,

Medium Michelle & the Readings With Michelle Team

"The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings."

-Eric Hoffer