Thanksgiving Reflections on Paper Turkeys and The Four Pillars
The sight of Thanksgiving decor still carries me back to Ms. Howard’s first grade classroom, where a hand-traced turkey became one of my earliest lessons in gratitude. Just days before Thanksgiving, we traced our hands, colored each finger like a feather, and wrote what we were grateful for. My list was simple and sincere: God, my family, and my friends. That small project stayed with me in ways I never expected. Those paper turkeys became early reminders of a practice that would follow me into adulthood. Looking back, those lessons in gratitude became the foundation for The Four Pillars Model, the framework that now guides how gratitude strengthens healing in every part of my life.
As I grew older, the science behind gratitude expanded the meaning of what I had learned at that classroom table. The Psychiatry Pillar of The Four Pillars Model teaches me that gratitude is not only emotional but neurological. Psychiatry uses the term neuroplasticity to describe the brain’s ability to create new pathways through repeated experiences. Gratitude is one of those experiences. Practicing it can reshape how the mind responds to stress, pain, and memory. I have also learned that the science behind the three medications I take plays a vital role in supporting that process. For neuroplasticity to do its work, I have to stay consistent with my treatment, and I am genuinely grateful for the stability that medication compliance gives me. This truth anchors me during difficult moments and reminds me that healing is possible. Every Thanksgiving season, this scientific foundation feels like an invitation to slow down, breathe deeper, and reconnect with the roots of gratitude that were shaped long before I could understand their power.
Therapy reinforces the same truth in a different way. Therapy teaches me that gratitude is the intentional awareness of what remains good even when life is hard. Through the Therapy Pillar of The Four Pillars Model, I’ve learned that gratitude is not a feeling I wait for but a skill I practice. In many ways, practicing intentional gratitude is also a form of mindfulness because it trains my attention to stay present instead of getting lost in worry or distraction. My therapist and I often mix in gratitude exercises to make sure I am noticing blessings instead of rushing past them. One of the simplest exercises I’ve learned is the “three good things” check in. I pause, breathe, and name three things that went well during the week. It is also a wonderful habit to practice with a friend or family member through a quick daily text so you both develop the habit of being grateful together. Naming those moments out loud slows my thoughts enough to recognize what I might have overlooked, preparing me for the deeper ways gratitude shapes the other pillars of my healing.
Those scientific and therapeutic understandings eventually carried me back to the values that shaped me long before adulthood. I never imagined that a paper turkey in first grade would teach me something I rely on as an adult. The list I wrote then, expressing gratitude for God, my family, and my friends, grew into a deeper truth that still guides me today. Those early values now form the other half of The Four Pillars Model through the Family Pillar and the Faith Community Pillar. Family and faith offer the freedom, compassion, and purpose that allow healing to take root. They remind me that gratitude can carry us through even the hardest parts of life. What began as a childhood Thanksgiving activity has become the foundation for how I connect science with more conservative approaches to healing. Both perspectives matter. They work together, not in opposition, and gratitude is what helps me see the strength in both. That is the heart of The Four Pillars Model, a framework built on collaborative care.
Family nurtures gratitude because it surrounds us with people who bring joy, connection, and stability. The Family Pillar of The Four Pillars Model represents the social dimension of healing. It nurtures belonging, responsibility, and love, all of which strengthen gratitude. During Thanksgiving, I am especially aware of how blessed I am by the people I share life with. I am grateful beyond words for my husband, who is my best friend. Together, we help care for my paternal grandmother, and we are grateful for the wisdom she continues to share. Our two dogs, Vela and Angel, make our small family of five feel complete. I find joy in watching my niece and nephew grow, and I carry gratitude for parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, and uncles who have shaped my life since childhood. Their steady presence has been one of the greatest gifts of my healing journey.
Just as family grounds gratitude, faith expands it. Faith community restores purpose and reminds me that gratitude is deeply connected to God’s presence. During Thanksgiving, this pillar becomes a spiritual practice. It turns my attention from what is missing to the ways God has carried me through every chapter of my story. The Faith Community Pillar of The Four Pillars Model represents the spiritual dimension of healing, inviting me to remember God’s faithfulness and reflect on His goodness. In my own life, the song “Goodness of God” captures the heart of this pillar, especially the line, “All my life You have been faithful. All my life You have been so, so good.” Those words echo the gratitude I feel when I look back and see the steady ways God has guided and protected me, even in moments when I didn’t recognize His presence. Gratitude helps me see that goodness more clearly. It reminds me that God’s mercy has been near all along, running after me long before I knew how to name it. In a season rooted in giving thanks, that truth settles even deeper.
All four pillars work together to show how deeply gratitude is woven into healing. The Psychiatry Pillar reminds me that gratitude is part of the brain’s capacity to form new pathways and move toward stability. The Therapy Pillar gives me practical ways to stay aware of what is still good, even when life grows heavy. The Family Pillar teaches me that gratitude grows through connection, shared experiences, and the people who hold me up. The Faith Community Pillar invites me to recognize gratitude through the steady presence of God in my life. When these pillars come together, The Four Pillars Model shows that gratitude is far more than a single habit. It becomes a way of living that strengthens every dimension of my healing journey.
As Thanksgiving arrives, I keep coming back to the truth that gratitude is not about having everything together. It is about noticing the quiet gifts that have carried us this far. Healing does not happen in grand moments. It grows in the small ones we often overlook, and gratitude helps us see the goodness that has been there all along. My own healing journey has been ongoing since I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2013, and gratitude has become one of the strongest anchors I return to again and again. I hope this Thanksgiving season gives you a chance to pause, breathe, and see the blessings that have been guiding your story all along. Before moving forward with your day, take one slow breath and name something you are grateful for right now. And if you want a gentle challenge, choose three. Let that simple practice open your heart to the spirit of Thanksgiving, not just for today, but as a rhythm you carry into everyday life.
To learn more about my journey and the lessons I’ve gained, I invite you to explore My Story and additional Pillar Posts.
