High-noon sunlight, blinding my eyes and burning my skin. The air hung heavy with humidity, and my clothes did too. It was June in Dallas, so I’d expected nothing less, but the high temperatures delivered more.

Mart had just finished up a week of work meetings in Dallas, so I joined him for the weekend. Our plans included the Dallas Museum of Art, Bishop Arts District, and something called Thanksgiving Square.

A park developed by four businessmen in the 1960s, Thanksgiving Square is composed of a garden, a fountain, and an interfaith chapel. Its purpose is to inspire gratitude and to honor the Thanksgiving traditions here in America and around the world.

But for us, the best element by far was inside the Chapel in the ceiling: a spectacular spiral stained glass piece called the “Glory Window.” The brilliant sunlight outside poured down on the window and lit up dozens of spiraling squares of jewel-toned glass. It was a gorgeous sight.

Although the heat of that June day made the Thanksgiving holiday seem about as real as a snowstorm, we didn’t need a holiday to prompt us to be grateful. We stopped in the chapel, prayed, and thanked God for the gifts He has given us: family, friends, work, home, and so much more.

I’m pretty sure air conditioning was also on the list.

This Thanksgiving, as I look back at all that has happened in our lives and in the world since then, I am even more grateful for the big things that always come to mind and for those I might not have thought of as quickly back then: like being able to travel to a different state for a fun weekend of sightseeing with my husband.

If you haven’t had a chance to do it this weekend, I encourage you to make your own Thanksgiving list. Consider making it a holiday tradition, too. It can lift your spirits and open your eyes to gifts you may never have noticed before. And you may just be surprised at how long your list grows.