A revised version is available. Here is what

some folks reported:

● They had a great time sharing stories

● Participants felt closer

● Everyone learned a lot about the others

● People were touched, they laughed and cried

● The sharing was real and authentic

These materials can be used at family

gathering such as reunions and holidays.

They were originally developed for "Better

Conversation Week" in 2002 and have

been updated and revised over time.

You can find a full description of this kit

in the "Conversation Products" section of

website www.conversationmatters.com

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are

the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."

--Marcel Proust

They buoy me up to continue researching and writing about

topics of interest. If you also want to thank me in other ways,

I offer you these possibilities:

2. Buy a book from my bookstore or a product from my

conversation products page. I have put up what I think are

the best conversation-related books in my store, and if you

buy one there I get a small commission that helps cover my

costs of publishing this free ezine. To peruse both books

and my products, go to www.conversationmatters.com for

the links.

Dr. Loren Ekroth publishes a free weekly newsletter, "Better

Conversations. Subscribe at www.conversationmatters.com.

"Thanksgiving, like Ambassadors,

Cabinet officers and others

Smeared with political ointment,

Depends for its existence on

Presidential appointment."

--Ogden Nash (Alluding to Pres. George Washington's

declaration for a day of thanksgiving in 1789

and the national holiday by President Lincoln

in 1863.)

meaning: Loud and powerful.

Example: "The senator rose and in a stentorian voice laid out the argument against the popular proposal of his colleagues."

A short musical video to inspire you by my friend Jana Stanfield:

Great song, very moving. Jana is now in Viet Nam for 6 months with only a backpack. her guitar, and a small group that helps orphaned kids and the disabled with her "Voluntours" mission.

Click or paste this URL into your browser to listen to Jana's uplifting song.

http://youtu.be/UF5V2PEujqs

When you get together as family and friends for Thanksgiving,

and bustle in the kitchen can be exciting but hardly allows for

deeper talk.

Here are 4 conversations to consider having this Thanksgiving:

1. Make time for a walk with an elder for a slower, less hectic

quality talk. Or draw aside an elder, perhaps an aunt or uncle,

for a rich conversation. Ask them about most memorable Thanksgivings of times past. Ask them about their lives. Show real interest.

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words." (Anonymous)

Take time to contact such an old friend and thank that person.

Set aside an hour that allows your family or friends to

share stories of their lives. You can record these if you

wish and send the CDs or DVDs to those who couldn't

attend your gathering.

Or, to set the tone for the gathering, bring your

guests together and with one person acting as a

scribe, ask everyone to mention what they're

thankful for this year. Use a flip-chart or

a white board to list their items. You may

get hundreds of gratitude items in a half-hour.

Note: I have created a low-cost "Better Family

Conversation Kit" available on my Conversation

Products page at www.conversationmatters.com.

It's downloadable, and it's rich in ideas.

I've often had people tell me regrets like this:

"I wish I'd asked my grandfather about his experience

and I'll never know." You can avoid those regrets by

recording these interviews at your family gatherings.

Best wishes to you all for a warm and grateful

Thanksgiving!

Words this issue: 1176 Est. Reading Time: 4 minutes Better Family Conversation Kit Conversation QuotationI Appreciate Your Support Jest Words Word-a-Week Jana Stanfield's link for inspiration Article: 4 Thanksgiving Conversations

Loren Ekroth ©2010, all rights reserved

Loren Ekroth, Ph.D. is a specialist in human communication and a national expert on conversation for business and social life.