There is no better moment than now while reading these words to consider what you are thankful for. In fact, there is actually no other moment than now. The poet Hafiz writes in his poem “It Felt Love”: How did the rose Ever open its heart And give to this world All its beauty? It felt the encouragement of light Against its being, Otherwise, We all remain Too frightened This is so true. It becomes easier to open up and reveal our own gifts to this world when we feel positive loving encouragement within. While for some the holidays are a time of connection and being with family and friends, for others it’s a source of stress only reinforcing a sense of loneliness and difficulty. Nevertheless, here is an opportunity to do a practice inspired by this poem that can help us cultivate a sense of gratitude and lovingkindness during this time. Here is short practice from Uncovering Happiness to feel that “encouragement of light” during this time: