We are encouraged from a very early age to be thankful, and to thank those who have done kind things for us. So much so that a muttered “thank you” to someone who holds a door open for us is simply second nature by the time we reach adulthood.

The message to be thankful for the world around us is also drilled into our heads on a daily basis. Enjoy the gorgeous colors of fall, the majesty of the mountains, the serenity of the first snowfall. Slow down, breathe it all in, be thankful for the beautiful things life has to offer.

The Thanksgiving season bombards us with exclamations of things we need to be thankful for and ways in which to show how very thankful we are. But my focus this year is different than in years past. This year, I choose to be thankful for the unthankful tasks in life. 

Unthankful tasks: Tasks in which there is no feeling of or exhibiting thanks, gratitude, or appreciation. Not agreeable or pleasant.

We find ourselves doing these things simply because they need to be done, knowing there will be no direct thanks for them. If we don’t do them, our lives will suffer as a result.

Yeah, I get that it sounds weird. Why would I be thankful for things I dislike?

Take, for example, doing the dishes. Now, I know that in most cases, I will receive some sort of thanks for the dinner I serve on these dishes, even if my kids leave the majority of the food on them untouched. But, at no time has anyone ever exclaimed, “Thank you for this sparkling clean dish!” when I placed the food on the table. As I stand at the sink the following morning, scrubbing congealed yuck off the plates, nobody pats me on the back, thanking me for doing such a meaningful task. And, to be honest, I don’t feel all that thankful for doing it. But… should I?

Doing the dishes, well, that means I’ve got clean, running water with which to wash them.

We may take it for granted, but it is estimated that 783 million people in our world do not have access to clean water — 783 million. Twice the population of the United States lives without access to safe drinking water.

Doing the dishes means I am able to provide food for my family. While 795 million people in the world don’t have enough food to live a healthy, active life. That is one in nine people. Many, even some in our communities, aren’t able to provide food for their families.

The multitude of dishes I am washing means I have a family to feed.

When I think about it that way, perhaps doing the dishes isn’t such a thankless task after all.

Perhaps, instead, it is an opportunity.

There are many, many tasks in our daily lives that feel thankless. But if you look at the deeper meaning of these tasks, perhaps they aren’t so thankless after all. Perhaps they are opportunities in disguise.

Now, I’m not saying it’s wrong to be grumpy about performing these tasks. I am well aware of how annoying they can be, and at times I will admit to complaining until the cows come home about having to do them myself. But, when I am grumpy about performing the unthankful tasks this Thanksgiving season, my goal is to change my perspective. Break the unthankful tasks down to their very roots, and be grateful for the beautiful reasons why I have to do them in the first place.

 

Deanna Greenstein
Deanna is a mom of five (yes, five) children, who lives in Brockton with her small circus of kids, her husband, their dog Penny, and a few cats. Her life is loud, energetic, mostly fun, often gross (did she mention four of those kids are boys?), and she wouldn't have it any other way. In between carting kids to school, baseball, gymnastics, guitar, dance, track and field and every other kid activity known to mankind, she works as a school bus driver for the city of Brockton, and is the Director of Religious Education at the Unity Church of North Easton, a Unitarian Universalist congregation. Deanna also holds degrees in Elementary Physical Education and Dance Education, which she plans to put back into use one day. At parties, Deanna can often be found hanging out with family pets. She follows her children around with a camera like the paparazzi, is pretty sure that 97% of her blood stream is made of coffee, and her laundry is never done. You can also find her blogging at https://eighteenmoreyearsofburpsandfarts.wordpress.com