Today the weather is cool and crisp. The oppressive heat and humidity of summer are nothing more than a memory. I ran into a friend in town this morning and our conversation inevitably turned to the weather.

“Don’t you just love this cooler weather?” I asked.

“Not really,” she sighed. “It means winter’s on the way.”

We finished our discussion, said goodbye, and I drove back home, but I couldn’t stop thinking about my friend’s comment. By focusing on the worries of the future she was ignoring the pleasures of the present. Too often I do the same thing.

Thanksgiving is a time for taking mental inventory of our blessings big and small. The larger ones are easier to spot: the promotion, the new baby, the first house. But the smaller treasures, the ones that often go unnoticed, are just as valuable. Things like the sound of a child’s laughter, the warmth of a companion’s hand inside your own, the morning sun streaking through the clouds, those are the small gems that we sometimes take for granted.

At its conception Thanksgiving wasn’t meant to be the biggest sales event of the season...it was meant to be a day of gratitude. Who and what are you thankful for?

A few years ago I went to a funeral that I’ve never forgotten. There had been a disagreement over the inheritance and family members were bitterly divided among themselves. Most of them weren’t speaking to each other and the tension between them was thicker than river fog. As far as I know, they have never made amends.

If there’s someone in your life who needs to hear “I love you” or “I’m sorry,” shouldn’t you say it now? Don’t wait until the trees are barren and the colors of fall are long forgotten. Don’t wait until it’s winter and too late.

Love them now.