40 Underrated Gifts to Be Thankful For
The following people and things do not make the Thanksgiving list as readily as parents, friends, food, and clothing; but they deserve our gratitude just as much for the many ways in which they enhance our lives. When we take the time to appreciate their purpose, we will realize what precious gifts they are.
We are grateful to the people quoted here for making us notice and reflect on some of the underrated gifts. Now it is our turn to whisper our first (or another) meaningful “thank you” for each one. Feel free to extend the list.
1. Authors
I always write authors after I read their books… My mother always taught us to write thank you notes, and if an author puts themselves out there, they like to hear that their book connected with someone. - Maria Semple
2. Brakes
I’m referring to the mechanical systems that literally stop you from plummeting or crashing to your death every single day. Elevators, bicycles, roller blades . . . are all equipped with brakes, and you should be happy about it. - Mélanie Berliet
3. Candles
Thank you, Lord, for . . . candles when we have no light. – Betty Purser Patten
4. Chores
I am thankful for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing, because it means I have a home. – Nancie J. Carmody
5. Closure
Have gratitude for the things you're discarding. By giving gratitude, you're giving closure to the relationship with that object. - Marie Kondo
6. Diversity
The world would be a boring place without diversity. - Amy Morin
7. Elbows
Elbows, because without them our arms wouldn’t bend and macaroni would be a less fun shape. – Amelia Diamond
8. Emergency Personnel
Firemen, EMTs, people that . . . show us there is still good in the world. – Gretchen Riker
9. Garbage Collectors
What would a good Thanksgiving Holiday be like with the stench of rotting, maggot-infested garbage? . . . Like I said, I’m thankful for garbage collectors. – Ken Wert
10. Great Genes
I have great genes. Thank you to my mom and dad for that one. – Gloria Estafan
11. Haters
Haters gonna hate. Critics just mean you are doing something worth criticizing. It means you are doing something. . . So give a little thanks to those naysayers. – Susie Moore
12. Heartache
I'm thankful for every heartache that made me stronger than I knew I could be. – Lisa Mischelle Wood
13. Heartbeat
The most important blessing to count is your heart beat. - yel
14. Imagination
Everything in the world from the screen you are looking at right now, all the way up to the aeroplanes in the sky were born in the imagination. – Truth Theory
15. Janitors
So many people had a hand in our success, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean. - Michelle Obama
16. Leftovers
Thank you, Lord, . . . for day old bread and remade stew; for all these things, Lord, we thank you. – Betty Purser Patten
17. Losses
When you recognize that you will thrive not in spite of your losses . . . but because of them . . . you are grateful for them. – Cheryl Strayed
18. Miracles
Give thanks to Him who alone does mighty miracles. - Psalm 136: 4 NLT
19. Mistakes
What a waste my life would be without all the beautiful mistakes I've made. – Alice Bag
20. Pain
Many things might have caused pain this year. The good thing is that we would not have felt them if we weren't alive. - Assegid Habtewold
21. Plumbers
Next time you are taking a relaxing bath, using water to brush your teeth or gassing up your car, keep in mind there are plumbers and fitters of all types making these things possible. - Maggie Wirtanen
22. Punctuation
Do you know how hard it would be for us to exchange information and ideas efficiently without agreed upon methods of punctuating sentences? . . . just be grateful you know about grammar and stuff okay! - Mélanie Berliet
23. Readers
I’m thankful for my readers. Specifically, I’m extremely proud of the fact that my community is easily made up of the coolest group of people online . . . You add a ton of value to my life, and hopefully I do the same for yours. – Daddy Doyin
24. Renewal
I’m grateful that I was able to pull myself up from the wreckage of divorce . . . creating something new and better. . . If divorce affords us anything it’s the chance to rewind, reflect, and renew. – Kyle Bradford
25. Revelation
Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. - Matthew 11:25 NLT
26. Scent of Rain
Sometimes we should express our gratitude for the small and simple things like the scent of the rain. - Joseph B. Wirthlin
27. Shadows
Let us give thanks for our shadows for they are there in the first place because of the presence of light. - Kamand Kojouri
28. Shady Trees
And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow . . . shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant. - Jonah 4:6 NLT
29. Singleness
Think of how much independence you have. - Lindsay Holmes
30. Sleet and Snow
The wintry winds they need to blow, we need sleet, and we need snow; there is no other way that spring could all its joy and gladness bring. – Wesley Yonts
31. Soldiers
As governor, when I visited our troops in Kuwait and Iraq, I served them Thanksgiving dinner. It was a small gesture compared to their sacrifice. - Jennifer Grantholm
In your opinion, who among the following groups receive the lowest level of appreciation in comparison to what they deserve?
32. Struggle
I am thankful for my struggle because without it, I wouldn't have stumbled upon my strength. – Alexander Elle
33. Stubbed Toe
Every once in a while God allows you to stub your toe as a kind reminder to be grateful for the miraculous body attached to it. – Richelle E. Goodrich
34. Touch
The smallest act of touch can . . . communicate love and acceptance. . . Don’t underestimate the power of your touch. – Gary Smalley and John Trent
35. Tough Times
If you look hard enough, you will find that even tough times offer pearls worthy of gratitude. – Richelle E. Goodrich
36. Truth
It keeps the world balanced and honest. – Gretchen Riker
37. Ups and Downs
Thank you for life, and all the little ups and downs that make it worth living. - Travis Barker
38. Waiting
Consider waiting a mental ping to take a few meditative breaths. . . and you’ll (hopefully) start to find it calming versus frustrating. Now I’m happy when there are two people in front of me at the bank! Inhale, exhale, my friend. – Susie Moore
39. YouTube
YouTube, for whenever you need to troubleshoot your car or computer, and especially when you need a laugh. – Daniel Dowling
40. Zippers
Remember having to button up your Levi jeans? I LOVE zippers! – Ken Wert
Questions & Answers
© 2017 Dora Weithers
Comments
- AUTHOR
Tamara, thank you for being a part of my HubCircle! Firefighters and Police are definitely are group of public servants who deserve more gratitude than they receive. We should always include them!
Also, I love Firefighters and Police Officers...
This article is sublime in its appreciation for the more precious gifts in life, Dora.
The gifts you have listed are, indeed, things to be most grateful for, even more so than Chocolate or Gum Drops:-)
Your posts are always lovely, and filled with great wisdom, soothing peace, and tranquility.
I am blessed to be part of your Hubpages friends.
- AUTHOR
Thanks, DDE. Without the servers, our lives would be less productive. They deserve our thanks.
You share the amazing titles and interesting too. Sometimes we don't think of those who serve us.
- AUTHOR
Word, I'm extremely happy to see you here. Thanks for checking me out, and I'm glad that you still find pleasure in my work. Hope all is well.
Hi Dora, it was a long measure of pleasure in reading this article today. I hadn't been here for a couple of months or so, so after coming on the site I had to see what your latest article might be about. It was a great one with so much consideration. Thank you. I'm so gratified. I'm glad you never run out of fresh ideas to write about. Be back soon...
- AUTHOR
Kyriaki, next time it happens to me, I'll remember you too for relating to a predicament we share. I appreciate your input.
Honestly, this is the first time it occurred to me that stumbling my toe may be a good thing. :)
Next time I do (and I am sure it'll be very soon because I am terribly clumsy), I'll definitely remember you, Ms. Dora and smile rather than scream and get angry.
Thanks for the insightful perspective!! As always.
- AUTHOR
Edward, thanks for your encouragement. Kind sentiments like this are on my gratitude list.
- AUTHOR
Thanks Alicia. I appreciate your encouraging input.
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Bill. The topic of gratitude never gets dull. Reminding others, I remind myself.
Ms. Dora, I enjoy the wisdom of your Hubs, and I thank you for reminders...for the often-overlooked reasons to count my blessings. I look forward to your writing for good reasons. Be safe, and continue to bless your readers with this food for thought.
There are so many excellent quotes and reminders in this article. Thank you for sharing them. Appreciating gifts and expressing gratitude are important activities.
That was a lovely list, Dora, and so true. We have so many things to be thankful for. Thank you for the reminder.
- AUTHOR
Shauna, we should never be bored. Whenever there's a spare moment, juts begin a "thank you" list. Hope you like how the picture fits under the author's banner. Thanks, again.
- AUTHOR
Denise, simple but absolutely necessary are some of things we take for granted. We all need the reminders. Thanks for your input.
- AUTHOR
Peg, that quote about authors is partly responsible for this article. Your Dad's saying was funny and serious all at once. Thanks for sharing.
Dora, this is a wonderful list. I've always felt that the ups and downs of life make us who we are. However, there are some items in your list that really made me stop and think. There really is so much more to be thankful for than we realize!
I recently read a historical novel set in the time when people who immigrated to America lived in tenement houses. This was before there were civic services such as garbage collection and sewers. Even though the descriptions were short, the sites and smells they brought to mind made me grateful for the cleanliness and order of the place where I now live. Thanks for the reminder that without these simple pleasures, life would be meaningless indeed!
I love that your list starts off with authors. Hooray for authors! Gratitude is the key to our own happiness and your list of things to be thankful for is wonderful.
My Dad used to say he was grateful for every day that he woke up and didn't find his name in the obituaries. That one always made me laugh.
- AUTHOR
Thanks. Mary. I'd say you have the right take on gratitude. If only we, including me, could apply it more often!
Brilliant list and well formatted for easy reading.
Gratitude costs us nothing and gives us peace of mind and a happy heart. I would say that is a good deal!
Number 17, about losses, really resonated with me.
I also love the idea of sending an author a personal message.
- AUTHOR
Bill, I try. Thanks for your encouragement and know that you are on my list of blessings.
- AUTHOR
Lori, God knows we're grateful. It just helps us sometimes to mention the little things we appreciate. See, by naming your blessings, someone else will relate and join you in thanksgiving. Thanks for your input.
- AUTHOR
Jodah, "well done" from you means the world to me. Thank you.
You always pick such unique topics for your hubs, Dora. Love it! There's so much we take for granted.
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Sally. You encourage me. I'll keep at it.
- AUTHOR
Thanks Jackie. That's one of the reasons I love HubPages. There is so much good that we share with each other. I'm grateful for all of you, too.
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Whonu. I think that we offer inspiration to each other, which helps all of us who constantly share by writing. I appreciate and pray blessings on you, too,
- AUTHOR
Thanks, Hari. I like your thinking. If we remain grounded, chances we that we will realize our debt of gratitude to others.
- AUTHOR
So true, Flourish. We expect some things to be there even though we never expressed appreciation. Hope we'll become more aware of our need to say thanks. We all need reminders.
- AUTHOR
Eric,thanks for your constant example of love and gratitude. You please God, and you encourage me.
My rear brakes are shot so yes, brakes are something to be thankful for. Breathing is a great, taken for granted blessing, and all the hard times, pain the like I am grateful for what they taught me. Great write, Dora. As always.
MsDora, all of these deserve thanks and gratitude. We often take too many things for granted. Well done with this hub.
Pretty cool list of ways to express our gratitude. It certainly is a gentle reminder to all of us to show our appreciation for those everyday things in life which we don't always notice. I love how your writing is evolving Ms Dora.
Whonu is right, you really are an inspiration. So full of good and valuable knowledge and such a pleasure to read. God blesses you and you bless us.
Nicely done my friend MsDora. You are an inspiration to us all. Blessings. whonu
Awesome hub. A great reminder list to be grounded.
- hari
This was simply marvelous. Many of us don't stop to express the simple gratitude in our lives that is due to other people and we assume that some things will always be there.
Really cool. Most days I thank the Lord that I am grateful. I reckon I could be surrounded by all this love and not be.
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