Happy Thanksgiving! Celebrate this day of gratitude with this special reflection from Jean Houston.

I like to imagine that the pleasure of giving thanks can be visualized in my heart. It’s like a rose bud, nestled deep inside. I can almost feel it there, almost reach in to my heart to touch it, almost imagine its sweet fragrance.

Each time I say or even think a word of thanksgiving, the rosebud expands. "Thank you," I say to the riot of color still clinging to the autumn trees. And the rosebud begins to unfurl. "Thank you," I think to the clouds as they flirt with the shy winter sun. "Thank you," I remember to say to the man who cuts in front of me in line, for teaching me patience and reminding me of courtesy in this too-hasty, frantic world. 

And each time I give thanks, the image of the rosebud grows. "Thank you," I sing, as I hear from dear friends in this season, for the wonder of friendship. Not to mention the gratefulness I feel in the pleasure of planning a Thanksgiving Day feast for some of those same friends.

Most of all this time of year I remember with so much gratefulness the miracle that is life, with all the magic that life is capable of showing us. I shout out my gratitude for the marvels of living on this earth—capable of knowing—stars and starfish, icebergs and ice cream, mountains and microchips, dolphins and daisies. The earth and heavens, the majesty and mystery.

And I remember and give thanks for the Presence of Love. Love, tender and raging, always yearning and utterly complete.  Love that burns in our marrow, lures us into mystery, forgives us our folly, calls us unto greatness. Love that is ascending prayer and descending grace. Love that moves the sun and all the stars. Love, the heartbeat of Eternity.

And the rose in my heart grows and expands, capable of holding everything, experiencing everything.  And wanting to say only this, over and over again, "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

More on Jean

• Watch Jean Houston on "Super Soul Sunday" this weekend!
  
• Learn more about Jean at JeanHouston.org
• Jean's new book, The Wizard of Us, is available in stores. Read an excerpt.